Published by admin on 25 Feb 2011 at 04:03 pm
SHOVELING SNOW AND FORGIVENESS
Recently while shoveling snow for about the seventh time in a couple weeks at my home, I got to grumbling about how many times I had to clear the driveway and road.
I really didn’t mind shoveling the snow ONCE. But as soon as it was cleared, here comes the snow, so it had to be cleared again. Everything was fine for a couple days, then the big snow hit, about 2 feet of it, and the real work began. Again. After three long days of clearing snow, there were high piles everywhere, the sun came out and no more snow was predicted. Oops, the weather man is wrong, it’s snowing again. Lord, this isn’t fair. It was then the Holy Spirit said to me, Son, shoveling snow is kind of like forgiveness. Once should be enough, but it isn’t, I have to keep forgiving My children over and over again. That put it all in perspective, didn’t it?
It never ceases to amaze me how the LORD uses everyday life to teach me spiritual lessons. Is there anyone who has ever had to forgive more than once, or am I all alone in that? Seldom does a day go by that an opportunity to forgive does not present itself to each of us, myself included, not to mention that maybe, just maybe, I might need to be forgiven as well. How well I remember the conversation between the Lord Jesus and Peter, in Matthew 18:21-35:
Mat 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mat 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Mat 18:23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Mat 18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Mat 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Mat 18:29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Mat 18:31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Mat 18:32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Mat 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
We hear sermons on forgiving others, yet there is not enough importance placed upon it. Many recite what is called “The Lord’s Prayer” without a clue what they are really praying. When asked by His disciples how they should pray, the Lord Jesus responded:
Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Do you see that? When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we are saying to God, if I don’t forgive those who have sinned against me, then don’t You forgive me, either. Oh, does it really mean THAT? So, how many times must I forgive them? The scripture is clear: we must forgive them until there is nothing left to forgive. On a personal note, I pray that I may always pass that test.
Oh, before I forget, that goes for forgiving yourself, too. I had a real struggle in that area, because even though I had asked the LORD to forgive my sins, I knew how rotten a person I had been, and therefore, couldn’t forgive myself, or even understand how the LORD could forgive me. I must have asked God to forgive me about a hundred times a day. Hello? Are you doing that, too? One day the LORD responded to me and said, I already HAVE forgiven you, now forgive yourself. I told Him I couldn’t. It was then He revealed to me that if I wouldn’t forgive myself, then I was exalting myself above Him, and my will above His will. Boy, it didn’t take me long to repent of that one!
You see, God wants you to have perfect peace in your heart, and that comes from being forgiven and forgiving all others. Well, Brother Jerry, you don’t know what they did to me! No, I don’t. But the Lord Jesus didn’t exempt you from forgiving them, any more than He did me. His command applies to every one of us. And He led by example, in asking His Father in heaven to forgive those who were crucifying Him as He hung on the cross. Is it always easy to forgive? No, He didn’t promise “easy”, did He? He just said to get it done, because the cost to you is so great that you cannot afford not to. He knows your eternal salvation depends upon your forgiving others. And now you know it does, too. So if you ever have to shovel snow, remember, it’s like forgiving others. You just keep shoveling until it’s all gone.
Lorie Leahy on 28 Feb 2011 at 4:27 pm #
Good article and example with the snow. I realized that in forgiving it is not saying that what was done to us was ok and the other person gets no concequences. It just means we are releasing any anger/conseqence to God to handle. He is a better judge of why the person did things to us then we are. Thanks.