Over the weekend, I had a misunderstanding with my friend. It was a difficult situation for both of us. We talked a long time about it trying to reach an understanding. One thing she told me was to ask God to show me what He was trying to teach me through this difficult time and to learn from my mistakes. He was faithful to show me what to do and I obeyed Him even though he asked me to do something out of my comfort zone.
Although they were difficult lessons to learn, God did teach me a few things about grace, forgiveness and restoration. Let me explain.
When I grew up, I was not shown a lot of grace, so it has been a long lesson that God has been teaching me especially this past year.
The definition of grace is unmerited mercy and favor--undeserved forgiveness.
At times it is hard for me to grasp when I mess up because I am not used to second and third chances. Grace is not a "Three strikes and you're out" policy. It is a purposeful extension of that undeserved favor...that unwarranted second mile when we are wronged. That's what God's grace is all about. And that is what grace should look like among His followers. We should forgive quickly and not hold grudges because someone misunderstands us or says or does something that hurts us.
Yesterday, after not seeing my friend for a few days, we had to drop by with some things that I needed to give her. Just because we had the misunderstanding did not mean that we weren't speaking to one another. We patched things up with God's help and the situation was better.
She had asked me to text her when we arrived at her place because she was not in the part of the house that she could hear our vehicle pull into her driveway. Anyhow, as soon as I sent the text that we had arrived, she hurried out to the driveway. I was nervous because I wasn't sure how she would react after the misunderstanding. When I opened the door of the SUV and stood up, she gave me a huge smile and opened her arms to give me a hug. She held me tight for a moment, then we backed a step away from one another. I saw the pain that I had caused her written there, however I also saw forgiveness and grace. She looked me in the eye and told me that she loved me. I knew that my relationship with her was restored at that moment.
Then I thought of how when we do things that are contrary to God's Word and we blow it. It hurts the heart of God when we wander away from Him...when we don't do what we know is right. In her eyes, I saw a flash of the hurt that Jesus would have when we are disobedient. She still loved me although she did not like what was done. She showed me through her example how Christ feels when we do wrong. When we come to His open arms, He forgives. He offers grace, but He also restores.
The restoration part can be difficult for people to understand. So many times when some one wrongs us, we say we forgive, but do we restore the person to what they were before? OR do we hold their wrongs ever before them? "But you hurt me way back 50 years ago." and that grudge becomes bitterness and hatred... Fifty years is a long time to be bitter and angry. It is always the right time to forgive and restore.
Once the problem is taken care of by apologizing or doing whatever it takes to make it right, then do as my friend suggests,
"Make a choice to let it go!"
We both made choices. We both had to forgive...and I was restored. It is what Jesus would have done!
The verse from Ps. 23 comes to mind. "He restoreth my soul...."
The end result was that we enjoy unrestrained fellowship once again. There is nothing better than that!
Thanks for reading.
Donna McHugh
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