our sins and He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And forget them.
“When it includes others we’ve wronged, we should go to that person and apologize and ask for forgiveness. After that, though, it’s off our shoulders.God doesn’t require us to carry around unforgiveness against us, but simply to ask Him for forgiveness and any person we have wronged.”
The preacher continued, but Sarah didn’t hear. Her heart was too busy reacting to what the preacher had said. In all the time she’d been with Justin she realized she had been trying to earn his forgiveness because she hadn’t let go of her guilt for what she’d done. Each time Justin had done something nice, said something sweet, she’d forced herself to work harder to prove how wrong she’d been. It had been like an arrow through her heart whenever he had smiled at her. The smiles, the attraction she felt, had only heaped guilt upon that condemnation. And now the pastor was explaining that once forgiven it should be forgotten.
Of course she realized that.
But she hadn’t realized just what she’d been carrying around until the pastor had stated it so bluntly. She didn’t know how long she sat there, stunned by how heavy a load lay on her shoulders, until Justin was standing next to her.
They had prayer and the pastor asked for those under a heavy burden to come down.
She went. When she bowed her head to pray, she was surprised to find Justin standing next to her and to feel his hand on her shoulder. Then she felt others around her who had come down for prayer, too.
Sarah prayed, admitting to God that she had been carrying around burdens that He had died for and would willingly take from her. She promised God she’d try harder not to hold on to the guilt and the past and to look to the future, instead.
When she was done, she felt lighter, freer than shehad in a long time. They went back to their seats, gathered their Bibles and her purse and they left.
Many stopped her to say hi and welcome, then Mickie was there and they were in the car, ready to go. On the way home, Justin finally spoke.
“You look more relaxed than I’ve seen you since. you came to work, Sarah.”
She smiled. “I guess I am. You know, it’s hard sometimes to forget the past and let go.”
Justin laughed. “Don’t I know. There are many things I regret about…” he said, glancing in the mirror at Mickie.
Sarah understood he was talking about Amy but didn’t want to mention her name and alert his daughter. “But I finally received peace over those problems and had to just put them to rest. A few old ghosts are still hanging around, but you just have to put the past in the past and let it go.”
This morning Sarah had done that with most of the things that had bothered her. But there was one thing she couldn’t come to grips with, and that was her infertility. She’d lost André over it. There was nothing she could do about her condition, but she still felt guilty that she’d hurt André, no matter how rotten he’d treated her. But more than condemnation or guilt, she felt fear. She wondered how she would deal with telling anyone about her problem. “So let’s say you had information that was going to hurt someone, should you feel guilty keeping that information secret?”
Justin chuckled. “That’s a hard one. Some people say to be honest no matter what. Others say a white lie is acceptable to spare feelings.” His smile left as he thought about it. “I suppose my feelings on thesubject are that there should never be any secrets between a husband and a wife. Secrets break down the marriage, whereas the truth might hurt, but you can work through the hurt if you know there’s a problem. As for others, what’s not their business is just that, none of their business. If you don’t like someone’s dress you don’t have to say, ‘I love your dress’ if you can say, instead, ‘I love your hair.’”
She was relieved he felt that way. Because
“When it includes others we’ve wronged, we should go to that person and apologize and ask for forgiveness. After that, though, it’s off our shoulders.God doesn’t require us to carry around unforgiveness against us, but simply to ask Him for forgiveness and any person we have wronged.”
The preacher continued, but Sarah didn’t hear. Her heart was too busy reacting to what the preacher had said. In all the time she’d been with Justin she realized she had been trying to earn his forgiveness because she hadn’t let go of her guilt for what she’d done. Each time Justin had done something nice, said something sweet, she’d forced herself to work harder to prove how wrong she’d been. It had been like an arrow through her heart whenever he had smiled at her. The smiles, the attraction she felt, had only heaped guilt upon that condemnation. And now the pastor was explaining that once forgiven it should be forgotten.
Of course she realized that.
But she hadn’t realized just what she’d been carrying around until the pastor had stated it so bluntly. She didn’t know how long she sat there, stunned by how heavy a load lay on her shoulders, until Justin was standing next to her.
They had prayer and the pastor asked for those under a heavy burden to come down.
She went. When she bowed her head to pray, she was surprised to find Justin standing next to her and to feel his hand on her shoulder. Then she felt others around her who had come down for prayer, too.
Sarah prayed, admitting to God that she had been carrying around burdens that He had died for and would willingly take from her. She promised God she’d try harder not to hold on to the guilt and the past and to look to the future, instead.
When she was done, she felt lighter, freer than shehad in a long time. They went back to their seats, gathered their Bibles and her purse and they left.
Many stopped her to say hi and welcome, then Mickie was there and they were in the car, ready to go. On the way home, Justin finally spoke.
“You look more relaxed than I’ve seen you since. you came to work, Sarah.”
She smiled. “I guess I am. You know, it’s hard sometimes to forget the past and let go.”
Justin laughed. “Don’t I know. There are many things I regret about…” he said, glancing in the mirror at Mickie.
Sarah understood he was talking about Amy but didn’t want to mention her name and alert his daughter. “But I finally received peace over those problems and had to just put them to rest. A few old ghosts are still hanging around, but you just have to put the past in the past and let it go.”
This morning Sarah had done that with most of the things that had bothered her. But there was one thing she couldn’t come to grips with, and that was her infertility. She’d lost André over it. There was nothing she could do about her condition, but she still felt guilty that she’d hurt André, no matter how rotten he’d treated her. But more than condemnation or guilt, she felt fear. She wondered how she would deal with telling anyone about her problem. “So let’s say you had information that was going to hurt someone, should you feel guilty keeping that information secret?”
Justin chuckled. “That’s a hard one. Some people say to be honest no matter what. Others say a white lie is acceptable to spare feelings.” His smile left as he thought about it. “I suppose my feelings on thesubject are that there should never be any secrets between a husband and a wife. Secrets break down the marriage, whereas the truth might hurt, but you can work through the hurt if you know there’s a problem. As for others, what’s not their business is just that, none of their business. If you don’t like someone’s dress you don’t have to say, ‘I love your dress’ if you can say, instead, ‘I love your hair.’”
She was relieved he felt that way. Because
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