Sunday I spoke on the danger of unforgiveness.  When we hold on to hurts and pains, and we blame them on someone else and continue to hold them responsible, it only ends up hurting us in the long run.  We are the ones who suffer and pay the price… not the “offending” party.

It doesn’t even have to be a GIANT offense.  It can be small hurts that we just never release.  You would think that the small things would be far easier to forgive and to simply move on… but it’s just not true.  If it’s personal, it’s personal.  It doesn’t matter how large the offense was.  In fact, over time, even small offenses become large in the mind of those who hold on to them.

I confessed that I had an old friend who had wounded me several years ago.  We live in different states, but we once were best friends.  It was the kind of friendship that you think nothing will ever come between the bond you have.  Several years ago, we made the trip to the state he resides in.  Getting together and reconnecting was something I was truly looking forward to. To this day, I don’t know what happened to create the break between us… he simply would not make the time to meet with me… even after being told directly how this was causing me to feel.  It was truly devestating… this friend who I had gone through several life ordeals with was simply blowing me off.

People make choices, and he had made his.  It was time for me to move on.  But the truth is I never really did.  It’s not something I dwell on every week, or every month… but it has never entirely left me.  I felt abandoned and betrayed.  There may have been some completely legitimate issues going on in his life, but he never shared those with me if there were.  I only know that this dear friend simply dismissed me… and it hurt deeply.

I came across his Facebook profile the night before my message on forgiveness.  Coincidence?  What do you think?  I found myself struggling with the question of whether I should send him a friend request or not.  After all these years, that should be a no-brainer… but it wasn’t.  That was my key to knowing that I hadn’t forgiven him in my heart.  I hadn’t released him for the responsibility of hurting me.  I knew what I had to do… but it still took me several days to do it.  I have finally sent the friend request and have extended forgiveness in my heart.  I no longer hold him responsible for the wound I felt.  And I feel released!

I don’t know what the outcome will be.  I haven’t heard a response yet.  But whatever it is, I know I have done what I have needed to do for a long time.  Forgiveness is not easy, but it never is.  It wasn’t when Jesus offered forgiveness to us, and it won’t be when we offer forgiveness to others.  But it is right… and it is worth it… and it is freeing!

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• Forgive + Forget = Freedom (Day 25 Dare) (lauramaly.wordpress.com)
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Observations and recap from Sunday’s service and meetings.  Kind of an appropriate title on Super Bowl Sunday…

• Coach Bob and I were blessed to view several sessions of a conference in Austin, Tx on Friday and Saturday called Verge.  On Saturday, although we were observing online, we sensed the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst, and there in the meeting.  You can read some of the powerful Twitter stream comments from those who attended by clicking on #verge10.  It was a confirmation to us of the direction we are headed in at Second Chance Church as well as an indicator that there is a move of the Holy Spirit going on right now…. something is going on.
• Acts 2:17 tells us that “In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people”
• We are praying for and anticipating that outpouring on the people of Second Chance.  I believe we received a small dose of that on Sunday.
• Our music had moments of sheer joy, and deep reverence for God.  There is something incredibly powerful and compelling when people are singing directly to the Lord.
• “How Great Is Our God” was such a moment when we had nothing but voices singing at the end…. powerful!
• The incredible truth of God’s forgiveness overwhelmed me yesterday and it was enriched further by Casting Crown’s “As Far As The East Is From The West” based on Psalm 103.
• Personally challenged by the need to forgive… and frightened by the reality of how we handcuff God when we choose not to.
• Service was followed by a brief presentation of our approved Vision Budget for 2010.
• Blown away at the hours and effort put in by Steve McKown, our Business and Finance Captain, and by Jim Varda, our Campus Development Captain.
• Truly anxious to see how the rest of 2010 unfolds and where we will go!

In my effort to find a video clip to use as an illustration in last week’s message, I came across a series of commercials that are some of the funniest I have EVER seen…. love these.  Enjoy!

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