A grandfather forgave his granddaughter’s murderer the very day of the mass shooting. The day of the atrocity, Amish neighbors comforted the man’s family, who were huddled together grieving the loss of their beloved son, shocked and bewildered by their child’s taking of five young girls’ lives. To us mere mortals, this is forgiveness that goes way beyond reason. To many people, this forgiveness seems foolish and naive… even dangerous. But this is Grace! – Divine Forgiveness – that comes from Living in the Light of Your Truth, continuously being in Your Presence – being still and allowing Your Holy Spirit to fill us with Your Love and Peace that passes all human understanding.
You are the Reason an 18-year-old woman places her body in harm’s way, defending a stranger who hates her because of her beautiful brown skin.
You are the Reason people can forgive perpetrators of unspeakable transgressions.
When You were nailed to Your Cross, suffering unimaginable pain, You said, “Father, Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34
We have Forgiveness through Your Saving Grace. And we are called to pass that Saving Grace onto others. When we filter our perceptions through our own ego, every hurt, every slight, feels like an arrow piercing our hearts. We focus in on our pain, feeling victimized, sad, and angry. It’s a very bad place to be! Dark, unpleasant, and all consuming. Yet we go there often, as one might repeatedly rub a hangnail even though it hurts. When we are there, we don’t truly connect with people around us. When we harbor hurt and bitterness in our hearts, there’s no room for Your Holy Spirit to Work in us. We don’t really understand others’ suffering. When we turn back to You, “show up”, and allow Your Grace to Work in us, You also give us Resiliency, Empathy, and Perspective. We have Your Love in our hearts for others around us, even our transgressors, our enemies. Miraculously, we feel Forgiveness for someone at the very instant of the hurt. This Love is so counterintuitive to our nature that it can only be Supernatural – Devine Love!
You Change the hearts of people around us through the Power of Your Saving Grace and Love shining in us. evil detests Divine Love. Through it, evil has been defeated. Sapped of its power, it’s hold on this world diminishes. evil drains out of once-hardened hearts and slithers away. I pray that soon we all will Live fully in the Light of Your Truth, and enter the dark place no more. Thanks be to God!
Amen ✝️❤️😊
Words and Pictures for the Heart 