Mathew West wrote this song about a women who sent her story to him. The woman's daughter was killed by a drunk driver and this woman had started a ministry across the country talking to people about the cause and effects of drinking and driving and why we shouldn't do this. As she kept traveling the Lord slowly revealed that something was truly missing from her life. She had the compassion and the boldness to speak truth in love to those who could devastate their lives by poor decisions - but the Lord revealed to her that something true was missing: Forgiveness.
Matthew wrote this song:
"Forgiveness"
It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness
It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness
I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
For those of us who don't struggle with anger, we think that it is not a struggle to forgive (or fill in the things that you don't struggle with here _______). But if you are like me, then you are a realist. I used to be annoyed and unforgiving of the Apostle Peter, but then the Lord revealed to me that I was so much worse than he was . I was judge-mental prideful and arrogant. I was unforgiving and rude and sometimes just down right ridiculous in my thought processes. I mean, think about it, sometimes (if we are really honest) the things that we don't like about others really are things that we don't like about ourselves (or things that we struggle with and try not to do).
If we are true disciples of Jesus Christ THEN we have to forgive like He has forgiven us. We have to love, like He loves us and we have to do to others as He has done for us.
When it is all said and done, Matthew West is right when he sings that when we don't forgive we end up putting ourselves in a prison of unforgiveness. Think about it?
Forgive, and find God's blessings in your life when you move closer to His will.
Blessings,
D