THE SCENARIO: An individual or individuals come to your mind, and let’s suppose more often than you wish. You painfully recall the great hurt they caused you (let’s suppose further that the basis of your pain here is real, not imagined). You can’t help but think that they owe you some sort of recompense, and you cannot seem to think and feel otherwise when they come to mind.
In the outworking of this scenario please consider the following:
Can you pin down the exact hurt; in private, how would you verbalize it to yourself; to our Lord?
Is the other party aware of your deep pain over this; how would you verbalize it to them? Could you maintain a Christian posture if you did so?
Can you pin down exactly what you think they owe you (acknowledgment of the damage/harm; apology [private and/or public]; financial recompense, etc.)?
What are some common secular approaches to “release,” as they would put it, of such pain (we, as Christians, would call the remedy forgiveness). What is the difference/s between secular “release” and Christian forgiveness. Over against secular “release” consider here Mat 6:12, Mar 11:25, Luk 23:34, Jhn 14:27, and Rom 12:19-21; include your own pertinent verses besides these please—we would like to uncover here what makes Christian forgiveness unique and so much more effective; what makes it the right, lasting medicine for inflicted pain and the associated burden one might be bearing.
How did David deal with the protracted hurt that Saul pressed upon him; was he after recompense? Can you find two other biblical precedents of this nature.
Would recompense end one’s pain over what happened (is it the solution)? Could forgiveness heal it? What do you think makes forgiveness a difficult thing to do (consider the role of pride); maybe it is not difficult for you—if not, why is it not difficult for you? Can one truly forgive in and of themselves, or is it entirely a divine enterprise? Let us rephrase the question—how does forgiveness begin; how does one set the process in motion? What is the Holy Spirit’s involvement? What does He call for us to do in the process (support biblically please)?
Our Lord Jesus Christ implores us to hate the evil in a person/s that causes us hurt, but to love that person/s; to forgive others sincerely, even our enemies, and to treat them as we would want to be treated by them (Mat 5:38-44). The Cross of Jesus Christ is the universal model of the type and degree of forgiveness He requires from us in those instances when we are hurt (1Pe 2:21-23). As touching points four and six again, would you agree that forgiveness involves a personal sacrifice that is motivated by faith in Jehovah God (Psa 46:10)? That is, setting one’s sights high enough such that He is bigger than the hurt and its pain; such that one is able to slay on the altar of personal sacrifice one’s personal recompense lusts, such that He becomes the recompense. One sees here a connection between doing what He requires of us, the blessing of that, and faith in Him. That is, the former two are dependent on the latter one. Do you see it that way too? Small wonder that the degree of joy and peace in the Christian life is consistent with one’s degree of faith in Jehovah God; is consistent with the size of one’s picture of Him. Dear Christian friend, may our Lord give us victory here! Christ bless you Christian friend.