Psalm 103:12 -
as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Has anyone else experienced supernatural forgiveness? Of course, if we are followers of Christ, we all have experienced that on the receiving end, but has God worked in your heart to remove a grudge, hurt feelings, pain...and replaced it with love for someone? I once mentioned to a CC member that I would share this story. A year or so later, he is no longer a member. Maybe he still lurks. Maybe others can benefit from this. I figure this is a good time to honor that promise.
If you don't want to read a long post, just skip to the question at the end!!!
As some here know, when I was still married, I was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma. This was at a time when I still had two small kids running around the house and I was just entering the teaching profession; when my peers from teacher's training were having anxious nervous teacher dreams such as instructing a class with no clothes on, I was having dreams that I felt lumps on my neck.
I've shared in chat that through the experience of having doctors disagree on a treatment plan for several weeks and other medical frustrations, I watched my then-wife withdraw more and more from me. This was due to fear of the unknown outcome. Fear of the loss of income, etc. I didn't show it, but inside, I harbored a resentment toward her. for. years. She had never been one to honor and love through the bad times. In other areas, her affection was conditional as well. I let this consume me long after I was given the "all clear." Yes. I acknowledge that my unforgiveness was a chief contributor to the demise of our marriage.
Oh, now remember this part, because it's important later - at the clinic where I got my radiation treatment every day, I arrived in the afternoon, right after teaching. By then, the coffee in the lobby had spills all over the place. They always used this nasty hazelnut powdery creamer, and the burning pot and the spills made the gummy, syrupy powder burn, which I was able to smell as soon as I walked into the place. Years after that experience, I was not able to have hazelnut coffee, which had always been one of my favorites. If I even smelled it, I felt anger, loss, resentment, feelings of abandonment...Coffee shops were uncomfortable if hazelnut infused beans were being roasted or a hazelnut latte was being prepared.
Flash forward a few years. I am temping in a medical insurance office. I was out of music education - in these parts, it became unstable even before the economic downturn. On my way to this temp job, I am praying - I don't even remember about what, when I felt the presence of God in the car - and I had nothing but loving feelings for my wife, and I forgave her completely!! Praise God!!
The next day, I took a break at the coffee machine, as was my custom. Without thinking, I prepared my coffee with what I thought was regular creamer, but...guess what? I had put hazelnut in by accident and...I LOVED IT!!! It had never even been on the counter before. I realized that I was enjoying my coffee at the same time I realized my error. To this day, I enjoy a hazelnut latte every now and again or get a bag of hazelnut blend. I feel like God gave me back something that I totally enjoyed! Well, I guess that's because He did! Yes. I still am drawn to my experience when I sip hazelnut coffee, but instead of all those negative feelings, I feel this overwhelming feeling of thanksgiving for the miracle God does in our hearts.
Was this enough to save my marriage? No. But, it did begin a great healing in me.
Has anyone else experienced a supernatural ability to forgive? Something that couldn't possibly come from oneself? Share what is comfortable to do so. Perhaps others will be blessed by your testimonies.
as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Has anyone else experienced supernatural forgiveness? Of course, if we are followers of Christ, we all have experienced that on the receiving end, but has God worked in your heart to remove a grudge, hurt feelings, pain...and replaced it with love for someone? I once mentioned to a CC member that I would share this story. A year or so later, he is no longer a member. Maybe he still lurks. Maybe others can benefit from this. I figure this is a good time to honor that promise.
If you don't want to read a long post, just skip to the question at the end!!!
As some here know, when I was still married, I was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma. This was at a time when I still had two small kids running around the house and I was just entering the teaching profession; when my peers from teacher's training were having anxious nervous teacher dreams such as instructing a class with no clothes on, I was having dreams that I felt lumps on my neck.
I've shared in chat that through the experience of having doctors disagree on a treatment plan for several weeks and other medical frustrations, I watched my then-wife withdraw more and more from me. This was due to fear of the unknown outcome. Fear of the loss of income, etc. I didn't show it, but inside, I harbored a resentment toward her. for. years. She had never been one to honor and love through the bad times. In other areas, her affection was conditional as well. I let this consume me long after I was given the "all clear." Yes. I acknowledge that my unforgiveness was a chief contributor to the demise of our marriage.
Oh, now remember this part, because it's important later - at the clinic where I got my radiation treatment every day, I arrived in the afternoon, right after teaching. By then, the coffee in the lobby had spills all over the place. They always used this nasty hazelnut powdery creamer, and the burning pot and the spills made the gummy, syrupy powder burn, which I was able to smell as soon as I walked into the place. Years after that experience, I was not able to have hazelnut coffee, which had always been one of my favorites. If I even smelled it, I felt anger, loss, resentment, feelings of abandonment...Coffee shops were uncomfortable if hazelnut infused beans were being roasted or a hazelnut latte was being prepared.
Flash forward a few years. I am temping in a medical insurance office. I was out of music education - in these parts, it became unstable even before the economic downturn. On my way to this temp job, I am praying - I don't even remember about what, when I felt the presence of God in the car - and I had nothing but loving feelings for my wife, and I forgave her completely!! Praise God!!
The next day, I took a break at the coffee machine, as was my custom. Without thinking, I prepared my coffee with what I thought was regular creamer, but...guess what? I had put hazelnut in by accident and...I LOVED IT!!! It had never even been on the counter before. I realized that I was enjoying my coffee at the same time I realized my error. To this day, I enjoy a hazelnut latte every now and again or get a bag of hazelnut blend. I feel like God gave me back something that I totally enjoyed! Well, I guess that's because He did! Yes. I still am drawn to my experience when I sip hazelnut coffee, but instead of all those negative feelings, I feel this overwhelming feeling of thanksgiving for the miracle God does in our hearts.
Was this enough to save my marriage? No. But, it did begin a great healing in me.
Has anyone else experienced a supernatural ability to forgive? Something that couldn't possibly come from oneself? Share what is comfortable to do so. Perhaps others will be blessed by your testimonies.