"Would You Like To Experience A Miracle?"

His eyes flashed with anger, “I will never forgive him.” It was a strong and powerful statement for a little boy not yet ten to make but I knew he meant it. I respected his anger because I respected the pain that had caused it. You don't have to be an adult to know deep sorrow and hurt. As I sat on his bed I first listened to him as he poured out the grief that was in his soul and then I asked him, “Would you like to experience a miracle?”

We looked at each other in silence for a while. He knew I was offering him a light to help him find his way out of the dark place of hurt and pain. His face softened a warm glow replaced the hot embers of hatred I had seen earlier. He took a deep breath then let it out in a long slow sigh as he said, “Yes.” “You have been hurt and wounded and it wasn't your fault,' I said, 'but, you don't have to carry that heavy load of hate. I know someone who will carry it away for you and leave love in it's place.” That was the night I told him about the miracle of forgiveness.

I didn't reprimand him for his anger because I understood it. I also understood that although throughout the Scriptures we are told to forgive it isn't something that has ever come naturally to me. In fact I believe that one of the greatest challenges to human nature is God's command to forgive. That is why I believe that when I am put into a position where I need to forgive someone God has also lined me up to be able to experience a miracle. This is when I come to God in prayer and say, “I want to obey You and be forgiving but it is creating a war in my heart. Lord, I am desperate for You. Please come to my aid. Take away my fleshly desire to hold a grudge and to hurt the one who has hurt me. Take away the bitterness in my soul. Please grant me the miracle of a forgiving heart. Do divine surgery in my soul and replace with love where now there is only anger and hate.”

What I have found in this mandate to forgive is an invitation from God to humble myself before Him and through a divine encounter with His Holy Spirit to have my human nature transformed. I have never experienced the need to forgive someone without first experiencing the humbling of my own heart. With the offense comes the Pride rising up in me with the declaration, “You will not treat me this way! I will make you sorry, I will make you pay!” My eyes flash with anger as my heart says, “I will never forgive!” Suddenly I am aware of a loving presence and I hear Jesus' invitation. “Would you like to experience a miracle?” Only then do I remember all that I have been forgiven of and I bow before Him and pray, “Lord, please do for me what I can't do for myself.” That's when the burden is lifted and the fire is quenched. I take a deep breath and let out a long slow sigh as the burden of an unforgiving spirit is replaces by the presence of Love incarnate.

Lord Jesus, You have taught me what is like to be forgiven. You have redeemed my life, forgiven all my iniquities and healed the disease of my heart by crowning my life with Your steadfast love and mercy. Because You have been merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love my sins have been removed as far as the East is from the West, yet this was not the end of your mercies. You have invited me share in Your nature by inviting me to experience the miracle of not only being forgiven but to be forgiving. Help me to share this miracle with others so they to can know this divine encounter with Your Holy Spirit.