When was the last time you were surprised and overwhelmed by the forgiveness of Jesus? Can you think of a moment where you were face to face with the darkness of your own heart and depths you are capable of reaching, only to be reminded of Jesus’ love, patience and grace again? Do you remember how it felt to experience mercy when you expected punishment? Do you remember the freedom of feeling God’s love and acceptance when you deserved to be shut out? Have you known the joy of giving that same gift to someone else? The most loving and joyful people I’ve ever met all have one thing in common: forgiveness. They know how much they have been forgiven and they love being forgiven. The folks I’m thinking of know what sin is all about, too. They were all grade A scoundrels who were chased down and doused in the mercy of God when they needed most. As a result, they love to give forgiveness to others. Jesus talked about this at the very beginning of the Sermon On The Mount. He said that the happiest people are the merciful people because they will be shown mercy. The cycle goes like this: you sin, God forgives, you are shocked and thankful for the grace because you know you’re a screwed up mess who needs all the help you can get. When the next guy sins against you, you show him grace because you’re just like him. Now a mystical thing happens where you are connected with the Lord because you’re doing His work - showing mercy and love, which makes you more aware of the mercy He gave you. If you let it, His forgiveness will make you more forgiving.
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