We’re about to enter the third week of Advent, and the words “peace” and “forgiveness” have been on my mind a lot! It seems the two go together – we can’t really experience peace without living a forgiving life. I deeply desire to live in peace – the peace that keeps my heart at rest no matter what the outward circumstances are. I have an icon of St Seraphim of Sarov next to my desk, to remind me of one of his famous sayings: “Acquire interior peace, and many will find salvation near you.” I hope to help others grow in their relationship with God, to gain the salvation Jesus has suffered and died to give us. Living with interior peace brings a grace to others that may help open their hearts to God’s grace for them.
When walking with others in spiritual companionship, the topic of forgiveness often surfaces. I’m often prompted to share the YouTube by Larry Christenson on Unilateral Forgiveness, and in particular one of the stories he relates in it. He tells of a good friend who is deeply hurt and troubled by an injustice, such that she becomes embittered against the one who hurt her. She finds a deep peace in the quiet of a church that allows her to release the bitterness, and this is followed by a word from the Lord that has helped me a lot in my own life. She heard in her heart, “you never lose your peace over someone else’s sin, but only over your own.” She had lost her peace through her bitterness toward another, and not because of what they had done.
There are steps to take here, tied to the desire for peace and forgiveness. First is to acknowledge the injury, and to allow oneself to gently lean into the pain it has caused. We don’t want to over react to it, nor diminish it, but to name it and feel it.
The second step is often overlooked. We take our eyes off of the injury, and ask the Holy Spirit to convict us of how our own reaction may be in need of God’s forgiveness. In the case mentioned above, the need was to acknowledge the bitterness that had taken root in her heart, and to ask the Lord to forgive her for that. This is then followed by His gift of peace, freely given to every soul that honestly confesses their own sin, and seeks forgiveness. It also takes our eyes off someone else’s sin, and paves the way for us to offer a blessing for them, rather than ill will. In his article, Larry speaks about “beaming out forgiveness” to others, unilaterally. That is, from one side only – we don’t wait for them to ask for it, we offer it first. “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,” can only be done from the heart when we have allowed the Lord to cleanse us of our own sin, and receive His gift of peace.
Peace and forgiveness, partners hand in hand. May our Advent preparation include time to examine how we may have reacted and lost our peace in some circumstance, and allow the Lord to restore it through a good confession and extending blessing to others.
Lord God, I desire to be an agent of your peace and mercy. Help me to take my eyes off others’ failings, and allow you to use me to help others on their journey of faith. Thank you for Your gift of forgiveness – may I allow You to convict me quickly, that I may live in Your grace…
Link to Larry Christenson’s YouTube audio:
Larry Christenson – Unilateral Forgiveness & Empathetic Repentance
Track 1 – empathetic repentance. (20:25 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im8w7ihVid8
Track 2 – unilateral forgiveness. (19:27 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MBGwHO0MeM
Spiritual Sun Pennies 