Forgiveness

Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

In my first post I wrote about being angry. While I eventually got over that anger and thought all was ok and all was forgiven, God reminded me that I still had some forgiving to do and I also had some forgiveness to ask for. The past year has been full of forgiving and asking for forgiveness. At the beginning of 2010 God really began piercing my heart where forgiveness is concerned. It began with me locating Rylee's biological father and her fraternal grandparents. While I never actually found her father I did find his wife and his parents. Here's the thing, I owed his parents a huge apology for the way I behaved as a result of the anger I felt towards Rylee's father. 19 years ago, at the one year anniversary of my abortion, a friend of mine and I got drunk and I was just downright mad and I wanted to do something about it. I wanted to hurt Rylee's father. So my friend and I got on the phone and called his parents up not knowing that they had no clue what had happened a year before. When we hung up I felt like I had gotten my revenge but it sure didn't make me feel like I thought it would and that's relieved. It didn't make me feel any better but only worse.
So now we are back in 2010 and I was on a search. A search to find the forgiveness that I so desperately wanted. I found Rylee's grandfather on Facebook so I sent him a detailed message apologizing to him and her grandmother for two things; for my part in causing their son to stumble in his faith and for the very rude phone call my friend and I made that night. I went on to tell him of all the wonderful things God was doing in me and through me and I also asked him to give his son a message from me. I asked him to please let him know how sorry I was for the hurt I caused him and also that I had forgiven him for the hurt he caused me. He replied back to me the sweetest message telling me that both he and his wife had already forgiven me and they told me how proud they were of me for allowing God to come into my life and use it for His glory. I cannot tell you how good it felt to forgive and know that I was forgiven.
I have not had the opportunity to speak to Rylee's father yet but I am hopeful. I have spoken to his wife and I will say that he is richly blessed to have her. What an amazing, forgiving and understanding woman of God! I want to tell her, if she is reading this, that I will never forget the kindness you have shown me through this road to closure. Thank you.

As I close this post I encourage you that if you need to forgive someone or if someone needs to forgive you then please swallow your pride and forgive whoever you need to forgive. Go to that person. Yes it may hurt a little but it is so worth it. Begin by asking God to soften your heart towards that person and then go to them.

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.