Forgive
The Healing Journey
July 30, 2023 • Andrew Cullen • 1 Peter 2:21–25, John 10:10
The journey toward healing is difficult. It requires receiving God’s forgiveness of us, forgiving those who have hurt us, and forgiving ourselves. It takes time, intentionality, and community. It requires us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, dying to ourselves and living in His love and power. It requires trusting God through the ups and downs and twists and turns of the journey. But the restoration of goodness is worth fighting for.
Forgiving Injustice
July 23, 2023 • Andrew Cullen • Matthew 23:23, Mark 11:15, Luke 17:3
When we talk about forgiveness, we tend to use words like grace, patience, mercy, and love to describe what forgiveness is. Justice is different. When we talk about justice, we use words like penalty, fairness, equality, and discipline to describe what justice is. As a result, we think that we cannot forgive this or that person because the just thing to do is hold them accountable. Or we think we cannot hold them accountable because we must forgive them. We pit forgiveness and justice against one another because we think that we can only choose one. However, forgiveness shows mercy because mercy allows for reconciliation and forgiveness does justice because justice leads to transformation.
Forgiving Yourself
July 16, 2023 • Andrew Cullen • Luke 7:37–50
Guilt and shame are different. Guilt refers to the sense of having done something wrong. Shame refers to the sense of feeling unworthy. Guilt says, “I cheated.” Shame says, “I am a cheater.” Guilt says, “I failed.” Shame says, “I am a failure.” Guilt says, “I need forgiveness.” Shame says, “I am unforgiveable.” The Holy Spirit convicts us, which makes us feel guilty for what we did. The Devil condemns us, which makes us feel ashamed for who we are. In Luke 7, we listen to a conversation Jesus has with a woman who feels ashamed for who she is. She has not just sinned. She is a sinner. She feels unworthy. She feels unloved. She feels alone. She is ashamed. While Jesus's forgiveness removes her guilt, it is her faith that removes her shame.
Forgive
June 25, 2023 • Andrew Cullen • Mark 2:1–12
Forgiveness is at the heart of Christian faith. Forgiveness is an attribute of God and, as his image bearers, ought to be manifested in us. We forgive because God forgives. Forgiveness is not simply pardoning a debt. Forgiveness pursues the restoration of a relationship. Until Jesus returns, we will face the hurtful, the harmful, and the horrific. We will wound and we will be wounded. There will be broken relationships, bruised bodies, and belligerent words. We will never not need to forgive. We must learn to respond to pain and suffering without defaulting to retaliation and revenge. Without forgiveness, we cannot heal. Before we can restore a broken relationship, before we can become emotionally healthy, before we can feel whole again, we must forgive. Forgiveness is the first step toward healing.