Even if…God Forgives
Forgiveness. It’s a characteristic of God that I am so thankful for. My life depends on it. Yet, it’s a characteristic of God that is often so hard to put on. The other day my husband was doing me a favor and decided to do our laundry. I heard the buzzer of the dryer go off, so I went to the laundry room to get the clothes out. Life was great. My husband was sweet. Until. Until I lifted out of the basket my favorite romper. I held it up and no lie, it wasn’t even a size 0. I haven’t been a size 0 in a very long time, like never! My reaction was NOT one of forgiveness. I yelled at him. I asked him how it was in the 33 years that we’ve been married that he has yet to figure out that my clothes NEVER go in the dryer? It was not my finest moment. My husband, the person I love most in the whole world, the person who was trying to help me out by giving me back some time into my day, received my wrath, not my forgiveness. Even if.
I don’t know about you, but I’m stubborn. When someone has done me wrong, the first thought I have is not to forgive. The first thought I have is usually to complain, to wallow, to sit in my misery, to have not so kind thoughts toward that person. It takes me a minute. Let’s be real. Sometimes it takes me hours or days to get there. In those moments, I’m reminded of the character of God who forgives in a snap, in the blink of an eye, and I’m brought to my knees because I’m also reminded that God commands me to forgive in the same way.
Psalms 103 describes our God, and His outpouring of forgiveness on our lives. Verse 3 tells us that when God forgives, it kisses my heart and heals me inside and out from all disease. Disease is talking about all things spiritual – anything that can hinder my walk with Jesus, anything that can separate me from the love of God – God’s forgiveness heals, removes all of that and sets my heart right.
Verse 4 tells us that God’s forgiveness rescued me from hell and saved my life. God’s forgiveness crowns me with love and mercy.
Verse 6 says that God’s forgiveness makes things right and gives justice to the defenseless.
Verse 12 says God removed my guilt as far as the sunrise is from the sunset.
God’s forgiveness is enough. It’s complete. It’s the finished product. And it’s for me. I take great comfort in that because that says that even when I mess up, even when I’m slow to respond the way I know I am supposed to, even when I yell at my husband, it says that even if….God forgives. God forgives me and God enables me to forgive others, even when they’ve done me wrong. My prayer is that the forgiveness of God becomes second nature in my life and that my forgiveness toward others will draw them closer to Jesus, the one who makes them complete.
Robin Smith has a passion for equipping people to see their strengths and to lead with their unique God given gifts. She has spent the last 15 years in higher education, focusing on developing student leaders and equipping students with the skills they need to be successful in the pursuit of their education and careers.
Robin has recently transitioned out of higher education to pursue her heart’s passion to help equip women coming out of trafficking as the Program Director at Refuge for Women Las Vegas. Robin serves on the Ignite Life board, volunteers with Refresher for Women and Refresher Girls and teaches the evening class of Speaker's Workshop. She loves to teach the word of God and empower people to live victoriously on their journey with Jesus.
Robin and her husband Homer have been married for 31 years. They enjoy God’s creation by hiking, walking, or simply enjoying the sun with a good book. They have two children, Jenna and Ryne, three grandchildren, Alex, Dylan and Vincent and 1 cat - Cedar.