In this post, author Stephen Mansfield (Healing Your Church Hurt) discusses the third and most significant facet of forgiveness and how it is essential to being set free.
3. Charizomai means “to bestow favor or extend mercy”. Stephen admits that during his journey to forgive, he came to realize his tendency to transform his mental image of those who had wronged him. Those who wronged him had to be tools of the Prince of Darkness. The wounding they inflicted was intentional and evidenced self-conscious evil on their part. Stephen’s wounding was a global, personal conspiracy of hurt.
Yet even when evil directly is involved, focusing on that mental image does not make the process of forgiving any easier. Stephen asserts that we must understand the essential key of forgiveness- the hook of compassion. The author defines the hook of compassion as finding “the compassionate narrative behind their hurtful actions against me.” Finding even the smallest opening of compassion enables the charizomai spirit of mercy and grace to flow in. Forgiveness reigns. We will be free.
Today’s question: What, if anything, is keeping your from applying the hook of compassion to those who wounded you? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Living out God’s higher plan”
