Forgiving People Who Aren’t Sorry
"Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34 NRSV
"The Bible is your favorite book! What a waste of time!!"
Many years ago, those were the words spoken over me at a work conference by a man in upper management. He was supposed to be there to inspire us to greater success as individual salespeople. But that day something very different happened.
During the conference he called me up in front of the whole group to roleplay a particular sales tactic. As an ice breaker, he asked me, "what is your favorite book?" My answer unleashed a 30-minute rant from the depths of his soul.
I just sat there.
Frozen.
Unable to speak.
Thankfully, I don't remember much of what he said that day. Just that, "I would never amount to anything in business, and that I should be spending my time reading business and productivity books, NOT the Bible."
Fast forward a decade or so. In a moment of solitude and silence, God began to reveal to me that I was still harboring bitterness toward this man, whose name I don't even remember. He showed me that I needed to forgive him for his awful words, even though he never apologized and likely never would. I needed to forgive him for the health of my own soul. And because when I was lost in sin, Christ through his death and resurrection, forgave me of my sins (Colossians 2:13-14).
What's the point?
Forgiveness is not only possible, it is necessary, even if the person who hurt you doesn't want to be forgiven. Today, ask God if there is any unforgiveness in your heart that needs to be confessed?
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