{Lessons Learned} The Power of God’s Word to Transform Your Life

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” – John 17:17

“Change is not possible,” says the naysayer. “We will always be the same. You can’t change who you are.”

True.

But God can.

The naysayer is correct. We can’t change ourselves. Though we may be able to change our behavior, we can’t will ourselves into any lasting change.

But the moment we lay our lives down before Jesus, we are new, and God does change us. So, change is possible, but it can only be attained through Jesus.

So, how do we change?

Jesus tells us in John 17:17 that God’s truth leads to transformation. It is His Word that leads us through the process of sanctification, which is a fancy, theological word for being made more like Jesus.

Sanctification is change. Lasting change.

As a baby Christian I remember picking up my Bible, being told it’s what good Christians do, yet I was at a loss. Where do I even begin, I’d wonder. Reading the Bible seemed like such an insurmountable task.

But, I gave it a shot anyway, beginning in Matthew, and just read on from there.

Honestly, it took a while for me to get into it. Yet after a short time, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I actually enjoyed reading God’s Word. And honestly, I didn’t want to put it down. I ate it up. Each and every word began to fill that empty space deep within, and I was ravenous for more.

I began to change, rapidly change, as I read. Paradigms were shattered as I began to see the world––and myself––anew. Each word I read powerfully took hold and transformed me like never before.

It was crazy.

Truly, I experienced the power of God’s Word.

After reading only a short while, I had an intense desire to be a doer of God’s Word. I wanted to be schooled in the ways of God, but then I wanted to do what He commanded (James 1:22). I wanted to be His hands and feet. I wanted to live my new-found faith like I had never seen others do before.

That’s, of course, about the time that God called me to love and forgive Anthony, which provided another lesson on the power of God’s Word. As Anthony and I wrestled through some tough issues throughout our correspondence, we both were centered around scripture.

“Wrestling” is a great word picture of what we did. Truly, nothing was off the table. Nothing went unsaid. We wrestled, and wrestled well. Yet, throughout our wrestling, we both came at it from a Biblical perspective, relying completely on the Word of God.

The result?

Transformation.

As I mentioned before, I was transformed throughout this process just as much as Anthony was. And it was truth––scriptural truth as well as a commitment to allowing God to show me how He views the murder and the circumstances leading up to my dad’s death––that lead to this transformation.

And it was the same for Anthony as well. Truly, I watched Anthony transform before my eyes, which was something I prayed for but never thought would happen. It blew my mind to witness the man who murdered my dad come to a place of repentance, humility, and right standing before Jesus.

This is the power of truth. God’s truth, found in His Word, is the answer so many are looking for. [Tweet that] It’s the only answer. And it is this truth that will lead you to the lasting change you’re looking for.

{God’s Word transforms.}

Question: How have you experienced the power of God’s Word? Share in the comments.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} Your Faith Requires Action

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

I’m seeing that the Christian life is NOT a life of passivity but a life of choices empowered by the Holy Spirit. - My prayer journal, May 13, 2010

The Christian life is not one marked by passivity, but instead, it requires that we step out in faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to do whatever it is Jesus calls us to.

Following Jesus means that we get off the couch and do something. [tweet that]

When I first became a Christian, (only about a year before I was called on my crazy journey with Anthony) I was under the impression that Christianity should be characterized more by a “let go and let God” theology than one that requires action. But, when Jesus called me to love and forgive the very man who murdered my dad, this paradigm was shattered.

I was presented with commands.

Forgive.

Love your enemy.

How could I forgive if I remained passive in my faith?

How could I love my enemy without doing something? Loving my enemy seemed more like a call to action than an emotional feeling I’d be able to contrive.

While preaching the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us “whoever does [these commandments] and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19b).

And what are some of Jesus’ commandments?

He tells us to love God above all things.

He tells us to love our neighbor as we love ourself.

He tells us to care for the widow, the orphan, the oppressed, the poor.

He tells us to meet the needs of those around us.

He tells us to love, to forgive, to honor one another, to pray, and to trust.

And He tells us to share the good news of the Gospel.

Yet, none of these can be done passively. They all require action.

There are so many people who wonder through life, not knowing what they’re called to do. But it’s all right there. The Bible tells us what we’re called to do.

God’s Word calls us to faith in action. It calls us to be the hands and feet in this broken world. It calls us love, love, love. Because after all, that’s what it all comes down to. The whole of God’s commandments can be summed up in two simple commands. Love God. Love others.

That’s it.

That’s your calling.

Now, what that looks like will be different for each of us, but the call is the same. And the call is one that requires action.

How might we be different if we stopped keeping God at arms distance, received His love, and loved Him with all that we had?

What would our world look like if more Christians took hold of the power that’s already given to them and began to act on God’s commands?

How many hearts would be healed if we began to forgive and love one another, and I mean really love one another?

How might the level of stress we all experience go down if we began to bear one another’s burdens? If we began to live like those in the early church did?

Faith is a verb. Not a noun. It’s an action word, not a thing you have. Our faith should move us toward Jesus, who is beaconing each of us, come follow me.

And as He does, so do we.

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. – John 14:21

{The Christian life requires action.}

Question: How might you be able to live out your faith more intentionally? What actions need to be taken? How can you be more deliberate as you follow Jesus? Share in the comments.

Please make no mistake, this post is not about an attempt to earn salvation or favor with God. Salvation is a gift that can never be earned (Ephesians 2:8). But good works do flow out of saving faith (Ephesians 2:10).

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

Choosing to See

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

Abraham Lincoln, one of my all-time heroes, once said, “If you look for the bad in people expecting to find it, you surely will.” And I do believe Lincoln was right. After all, we do live in a fallen world.

Yet, I also believe the opposite is true. If you look for the good in others, I think you’ll find it as well.

While it is true that we are sinners in need of grace, it is also true that we are image bearers of God (Genesis 1:27). We were created in His likeness and image, which means that we’re a reflection (though only a dim reflection) of who God is and of His character.

Though it’s unpopular to say in some Christian circles, mankind is not completely bad.

I grew up watching the movie Pollyanna. It’s a Disney movie about a young orphaned girl who is taken in by her wealthy aunt. Before their death, Pollyanna’s parents rejected the comforts of the world to be missionaries, which gave young Pollyanna great perspective on the world.

Pollyanna moves to a small town to live with her aunt, and it seems the entire town is burdened by worry and the cares of this world. Yet, everywhere this little girl goes, she infects those around her with a joy that was previously unknown to them.

Pollyanna continually chooses to see the good in things, and she’s sure to point them out to those around her, despite their jeering remarks.

“Glad this. Glad that,” sneer the naysayers.

“What is all this glad business you talk about?”

Pollyanna’s father had taught her an amazing truth before he died, one that she seems to carry within her heart. And the truth was this: we can choose to see and focus on the good in life and in the people around us, or we can choose to see and focus only on the bad.

They’re both there. The bad and the good, that is.

You needn’t look too far to see them.

There’s sin. And there’s good works.

Depravity and virtue.

Wretchedness and blessedness.

And we get to choose what we see. What we focus on.

Now, this doesn’t mean we need to be going around with blinders on. Of course, we need to be grounded in reality. But truly, both realities exist.

As mentioned in my last post, Influence of a Thought, Paul tells us to think about whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). He doesn’t tell us to focus on all that is bad in others, but to focus on the good. How else would it be possible to “live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18), to “love one another” (John 13:34), and to forgive each other (Colossians 3:13)? All of these commands require that we lay down our pride, recognizing our own shortcomings, and see others through the eyes of Jesus, who loves them.

Now, I know Pollyanna is just a fictional tale, but the character of Pollyanna embodies so much of what we ought to be. And I believe we would all live life with a little less strife if we opened ourselves up to a mind-shift and saw others through the lens of grace.

Truly, I think we could use a few more Pollyanna’s in this world of ours.

{Choose to focus on the good in others, not the bad.}

Question: Have you seen the movie Pollyanna? What about her character stands out to you? How do you think she was able to make such an impact on those around her? Share in the comments.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

Love Comes First

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

I received a letter from Anthony (the man who murdered my dad) a couple weeks ago. In it, he said, “I also know you feel as I do, if only one person read [our testimony] and came to Jesus because of it, because of our pain, tears, repentance, and forgiveness, all of it was worth it.”

Anthony is right. And He got me thinking.

If our story saves one––only one––I do believe my efforts to share what God has done is all worth it. Yet, I also believe Jesus called me to share this story with many. In fact, I believe I’m called to write a book about it.

What It Takes to Publish Today

When writing a book, you hear a lot about the need to build a “platform” or establish a “tribe” of followers who engage with you both on your blog and on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest…) who will then become your audience for your proposed book. Even though all this “platform building” feel like self-promotion––which makes me ridiculously uncomfortable––I’ve been doing it, nonetheless, attempting to promote Jesus instead of myself.

Building a platform is a necessary step toward publishing.

But it can so quickly become about the numbers. How many people are reached with each post? How many visitors to my blog each day, week, month? How many Twitter followers? How many Facebook likes? And the list goes on.

But what gets lost amid the numbers is love. Each of those numbers represents a soul. A soul Jesus loves and wants to help. We are all called to love one another. We’re all called to minister to one another. It may look different for some people than for others, but the call is all the same. Love.

My Followers?

And here’s the thing: My “followers” are not my followers, they’re Jesus’ followers. [Tweet that] A sweet friend pointed that out to me the other night, and I appreciated the perspective.

This issue is not a new one, either. It was found long before the emergence of social media and platform building. The Corinthian church faced the same problem. In 1 Corinthians 1:12-14 and 1:17 Paul says,

What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? …For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

It is Jesus who needs to be center. We don’t need Laurie followers, we need Jesus followers!

All You Need is Love (Love Before Mission)

My calling––and your calling too––needs to come from a place of love, for without love there is no real impact. [Tweet that] Sure, some may be intrigued by our stories, but the impact will be little without love.

And I confess that I have lost the love I had at first. But I’m praying for grace. I need a complete paradigm shift to take place through the mercy and grace of God.

It’s not about numbers. It’s not about me. It’s not even about my story.

It’s about Jesus.

It’s about loving God and loving people. Sound familiar? It’s the Great Commandment Jesus spoke of in both Matthew and Mark.

The Great Commandment comes before anything else. Yet, it is followed by the Great Commission.

The Great Commission is our mission in this world. Jesus tells us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

We do have a mission––to share the message of the Gospel with the world. But the mission doesn’t come before the commandment to love. [Tweet that]

The cart doesn’t come before the horse!

Love is first. Always. [Tweet that]

Yet, we have a job to do. And for some of us that job may require the use of social media, but it is all to be motivated by love. Just as the title of Bob Goff’s book says, “Love Does.” (This is a great book, by the way, one of my favorites!)

I’ve somehow gotten things a little backwards lately. And for that I am sorry, I repent, and I pray that all I do is derived out of my love for Jesus and for His people. If you could join me in this prayer, I’d greatly appreciate it. The prayer of many is powerful, and I want to get this one right.

Back to what Anthony said. If I can impact only one through my love, it will all be worth it.

{Love comes first.}

Question: Have you experienced this? Any words of wisdom you would like to share? Share in the comments.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} Watch Yourself or Can a Christian Commit Murder?

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children. – Deuteronomy 4:9

Anthony claimed he was a Christian at the time of the murder, and I had a real problem with this. As a non-Christian and even after coming to Christ, I didn’t understand how someone who professed faith in Jesus could do something like this. Doesn’t a sin of this magnitude disqualify you from being a Christian?

You can’t claim to be a Christian and commit murder, I thought.

Recently, however, when telling me about a book he was reading by Kyle Idleman called Not a Fan, Anthony said,

“I wonder, had I not come to prison would I have stayed a fan of Jesus or become a follower? I knew Him. I went to Bible studies. I read my Bible daily, but I didn’t let him into every dark corner of my heart. I was not a follower. Now, I truly follow Him. But this book is an eye-opener.”

Anthony went to church faithfully before he committed the murder. As he said, he went to Bible studies. He read his Bible daily. He knew Jesus.

When I began to correspond with Anthony, I met with my pastor and asked him, “Is it possible for a Christian to commit murder?”

My pastor’s response? Absolutely. It is possible.

I wrestled with this issue for quite some time, but ultimately I saw that my pastor was right. One profound example of this can be found in the story of David. David was chosen, used mightily, and was called a man after God’s own heart both before and after he had Bathsheba’s husband killed. David was in a covenantal relationship with God––the equivalent of being a Christ follower today––yet he sinned greatly.

Now, I don’t know whether or not Anthony’s relationship with Jesus was authentic when he killed my dad, but it could have been. And honestly, this truth scares me, as it should all of us.

We must guard our hearts.

You see, we’re all prone to folly. We’re all prone to sin. And sin can creep in before we know it.

In one of my letters to Anthony, I said, “…you still cultivated the emotions and feeling that lead you astray. You still allowed your soul to be poisoned with hatred which ultimately lead to your actions.”

In response, Anthony said:

I may have cultivated the emotions that led me to be poisoned. But not hate, anger yes but I didn’t hate your dad. I did not go over to your dads house to kill him, to threaten and scare, yes. But having that anger in my heart opened me up to the possibility of something bad and as we know bad happened. – Anthony, November 2010

All throughout the book of Deuteronomy, God tells us to watch ourselves. Over and over again He says, “Take care, lest your heart be deceived” (Deuteronomy 11:16), “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 8:11), “Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 4:23).

1 Peter 5:8 tells us to “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Paul exhorts Timothy to “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16).

Considering Anthony’s testimony and reading through each of these scriptures, this much is clear: we must guard our hearts to assure we don’t cultivate an environment for sin to grow. For, we can be led astray quickly.

{Guard your heart. Don’t allow sin to creep in.} [tweet that]

Question: What are your thoughts? How do you guard your heart or keep watch on yourself? Share in the comments.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} Healing Comes With Greater Understanding

Posted on March 23, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

In this brief video, I speak about how Jesus led me toward emotional healing from my past. Healing only came once I surrendered myself completely to Jesus and allowed Him complete access to my pain. Be sure to watch to hear about how Jesus brought me greater understanding which led to healing.

Healing Comes With Greater Understanding from Laurie Coombs on Vimeo.

{Greater understanding of the situations in our past can lead us toward healing.}

Question: Has Jesus healed you emotionally from your past? What was your experience? Share in the comments.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} Judge Not – There, But for the Grace of God, Go I

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven…” – Luke 6:37

A 16th century Englishman by the name of John Bradford spoke the words, “There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford” as he watched his fellow prisoners being led to their executions. Bradford was imprisoned in the Tower of London for his Protestant faith, opposed by Queen Mary I of England.

John Bradford later died a martyr’s death, being burned at the stake. Now, I know this is heavy, but honestly, I believe we can learn quite a bit from Bradford’s death. The account I read says this:

Before the fire was lit, he begged forgiveness of any he had wronged, and offered forgiveness to those who had wronged him. He subsequently turned to his fellow and said, “Be of good comfort brother; for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night!” – Wikipedia

What an amazing man of God!

Forgiveness was the last sentiment upon his heart, not judgement. How easy it would have been for Bradford to judge those who harmed him, but instead, he “offered forgiveness to those who had wronged him.”

From Bradford’s quote mentioned above came the well-known statement, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” [Tweet that] Bradford didn’t look upon the offenses of his fellow prisoners with condemnation. He––being a righteous man, imprisoned for his faith in Christ––didn’t judge the men around him for their sins. He didn’t lift himself up, while putting others down.

But instead, he knew his place. He knew he was no better than any other. He echoed Paul’s sentiments when Paul said, ”by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10, emphasis mine).

Any good within us is because of God. We are all prone to folly, we are all prone to sin. [Tweet that] We are all capable of doing terrible things under the right (wrong) conditions. Therefore, who has the right to raise themselves higher than anyone else?

Romans 12:3 tells us ”not to think of [our]self more highly than [we] ought to think.” Truly, we cannot stand in judgement of the sins of others. For the only thing keeping us from being in their position is grace.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. – Jude 1:24-25

{It is only by the grace of God that we are who we are. Therefore, it is not our place to judge.} [Tweet that]

How have you been judged by others? Are you guilty of judging others? Take a moment to forgive those who have wronged you and ask forgiveness from those you wronged.

Share in the comments.

To read more on this topic, read my last two posts {Lessons Learned} We Are No Better Than Repentant Murderers and {Lessons Learned} All Sin Is Forgivable

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} We Are No Better Than Repentant Murderers

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23

You are no better than him, I felt the Lord say to me.

I was taken by surprise. Stunned, really.

I had just gotten another letter from Anthony, the man who murdered my dad. I was angry and was contemplating what Anthony wrote, while crying out to God, How could he? How could he think that? Why doesn’t he see the truth? Who does he think he is?

Then came the rebuke, You are no better than him.

I fell silent and was put in my place, instantly. All my judgement, all my condemnation came to an immediate and abrupt stop, and I knew––I am no better than the man who murdered my own dad. [Tweet that]

It was a difficult truth to swallow. Truths like these don’t usually sit well.

Perhaps it’s because we’re listening to the world, with all its corrupt conceptions of how things should work instead of turning to the Word of God, which tells us that we are all equally sinners in desperate need of grace and mercy. The difference is: some know it and others don’t. [Tweet that]

God Shows No Partiality

Truly, God shows no partiality between repentant sinners. Take a look at some of the most influential patriarchs of our faith:

Moses ran away from his privileged life in Egypt after killing one of Pharaoh’s men prior to being called and empowered to lead Israel out of Egyptian slavery.
David committed adultery with Bathsheba, impregnated her, then had her husband placed on the front line of battle to ensure he would be killed, yet God still calls Davis a man after His own heart and used him mightily.
Paul sought after and personally oversaw the murder of several early Christians prior to being saved, transformed, and called to spread the Gospel to much of the world.

Talking a close look at the record of these men and others who were used mightily for the Kingdom of God brings the truths of 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 to light. It says:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

It is quite likely that if you are saved, you were once foolish, weak, lowly, or despised. We all come before Christ as beggars, poor in spirit, and in desperate need of redemption. [Tweet that] We are all equally guilty of sin before a Holy God.

Yet, the moment we come to Christ by faith, we are all washed clean. There is no distinction. My cleanliness is no better than Anthony’s. Once again, this is the beauty and scandal behind the forgiveness of God.

{We are no better than repentant murderers.}

Which of God’s truths do you have difficulty swallowing?

Share in the comments.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

A New Creation: The Old Has Passed Away

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

While at a holiday party a few months ago, I ran into an old friend I hadn’t seen in quite some time. We were roommates in college (while Travis and I were dating) and were living together at the time of my dad’s death. He knew me pretty well back then, but after graduating from college, we saw each other only occasionally and lost touch.

I sat down next to him at the party, and before I knew it, he asked me about my writing. “I heard you’re writing,” he said. “What do you write about?”

The last time I talked with him, I wasn’t even a Christian yet (nor is he a Christian now). I knew my answer would not be what he’d expect.

I told him how I became a Christian. How I was given the proof and grace I needed to believe in Jesus. And how Jesus called me to love and forgive Anthony, the man who murdered my dad. And what God did through my journey toward forgiveness and the two and a half years of correspondence with Anthony.

He looked at me, mouth open, not knowing what to say. “Uh…wow, Laur. That’s crazy.”

“Yea. It is,” I said. “It’s amazing what God’s done in my life.”

Then after a moment, he said, “you know…the old Laurie would have just told Anthony to f*** off.”

I have to admit, I was a little surprised by this comment. But he was right. “You’re right,” I told him. “That’s exactly what I would have done. But I’m different now.”

He looked at me and simply nodded.

I am different now. Very different.

How thankful I am for grace.

A New Creation

When Jesus saves us, we literally become a new creation––we are born again. Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

We don’t need to live out of our old selves. The old has passed away. But instead, being a new creation, we live by the spirit which allow us to be different and empowers us to follow Jesus radically wherever He may call. [Tweet that]

Our new nature compels us to die to ourselves and be something different, something the world stands in awe of and can’t quite figure out. We can love like never before. We can forgive others like never before. We can reconcile relationships like never before. And we can allow Jesus to shine though our imperfect lives to those around us, bringing others to know and love Him.

This is how I want to live.

This is how I want you to live. Imagine how the world would change if Christians––ALL Christians––lived like this.

{Our new nature compels us to die to ourselves and be something different, something the world stands in awe of and can’t quite figure out.}

What has Jesus changed in you that is apparent to those who knew you before coming to Christ?

Leave a comment.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Guest Blog} I Forgive You – Written by: Anthony, my dad’s murderer

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

The latest letter arrived from prison a couple days ago. Anthony, the man who murdered my dad, said, “I sent you something I wrote, I feel God has placed this on my heart. I hope it’s something you’d consider putting on your blog.”

And to that, I say, “absolutely.” God has allowed both Anthony and I the opportunity to share this story with many. I believe it’s a story that needs to be heard, for there are many who remain chained to their past, to their resentment, their bitterness, and their lack of forgiveness. Forgiveness is a topic that will always resound in each of our hearts, mine included. It is so easy to hold on to our wounds, but what relief it is to finally let them go. [Tweet that]

So, without further adieu. Here’s a word from Anthony.

I Forgive You, By: Anthony

“I forgive you.” I read the words again. “I forgive you.” These weren’t just lightly said words from someone I had hurt with some casual remark. These words had come from the daughter of the man I had shot and killed eleven years earlier. [Tweet that]

Suddenly, the enormity of what I had done punched me right in the gut. Tears came, guilt threatened to overwhelm me. What had I done? How could I have done it? I asked God these same questions: how, why? He had always responded the same way Laurie did, “I forgive you.”

I had taken that forgiveness for granted, I mean I knew His word in 1 John 1:9 said if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us, but the cost of that forgiveness began to sink in.

And how did that explain Laurie forgiving me?

Yes, God’s word also tells us in Matthew 6:14 that we are to forgive as we have been forgiven but how many of us actually do it or receive it? Especially from someone we had hurt so deeply. This is why Christ hung on that cross: forgiveness. Not cheap forgiveness in the form of words we throw around hoping to make everything better. But sacrificial, pain-filled forgiveness. Forgiveness the world can’t understand, even us sometimes.

I knew Laurie had not said these words lightly, that it was one of the hardest things she’d done. But I also knew that her relationship with Jesus would not allow her any other way, “I forgive you.”

How many of us have that kind of relationship with God? My guilty feelings weren’t only about what I’d done, but the realization that I didn’t have this kind of relationship with my Lord and Savior.

How many times had I judged another inmate because of his crime? Unforgiveness.

How many times had I angrily thought about the past? Unforgiveness.

So, when Laurie forgave me it set in motion in my life a new attitude. I wanted to know Jesus! I wanted the kind of relationship with Him that allowed me to forgive, to love, and to seek the fallen.

When you destroy someone made in God’s image, how can you make up for that? You can’t. But Jesus did, He died so that we can be forgiven. Because He did this for us, our relationship with Him must be sacrificial too. We have to forgive. How can we do anything less?

Die to self. We have to forgive even when it’s the most counterintuitive, painful, gut-wrenching thing we’ll ever do. [Tweet that] Because after that, love flows in and it fills up the space that the anger and the hate and the bitterness took up. And it just may save someone else!

Let His light shine in you. Unforgiveness dims that light. It starts with forgiveness.

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin. – Romans 4:7-8

{It starts with forgiveness.}

Have you experienced forgiveness like this? Or in what area do you need to experience forgiveness?

Join the discussion. Leave a comment.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.