Forgiveness first requires the wound to be addressed

Before a splinter wound can begin healing, the infection must first be treated.

Watching a terrific sermon on forgiveness today, a real-world illustration helped me better understand a basic tenet of Christianity that many of us believers may not fully understand how to process or to completely forgive someone for their transgression against us.

I know from a personal standpoint I may have "forgiven"someone in the past but never really addressed, or processed what happened, how I felt about it and how I would move forward. As a result, the usual human reaction of "I will forgive but not forget" rears it's head and I may say I "forgive" but without fully addressing the underlying issue, am I truly forgiving the other person?

Consider the illustration above. By design, the human body rejects an offending foreign object like a splinter. The process begins with anti-bodies surrounding the site to mitigate infection. From there, the body starts to reject the foreign object to the surface, or encapsulate it in scar tissue. Now if we were to put a bandage on top of the splinter wound, we would cover it up, but the pain will still be there and will continue to be sensitive as the wound festers. Our first reaction is to simply bandage the wound but that is only a superficial treatment.  Below the surface is where the real offense lies and that is where it needs to be addressed.

By bandaging the wound, we are in effect, only covering something up rather than getting to the root of the matter. However, if we dig in and take hold of that splinter and remove it, the healing process can begin immediately and the pain from the infection is dramatically reduced. The human body can now naturally heal itself from the inside out.

In other words, in my estimation, until I fully engage the who, what and why of what offended me, my forgiveness is only superficial, can continue to cause pain and not permit me to process, forgive and move on as Jesus has done for me.

You have not because you ask not

We were just watching Joel Osteen's message this morning about expecting a flood (#425R - Living Breakthrough Minded) . He said too many of us ask for a trickle or a stream, but few ask for a flood. Too many times we settle for what we have, what we had or what we think we deserve. We have no idea what God has in store for us, and the only way to get there is to pray and ASK for it.

During the message it struck me- I remember how when my children were younger they thought I knew everything, could do anything, could fix anything. I think they would have told you I could have built a nuclear reactor if you had asked them if I could. I remember how proud that would make me feel (even though now they don't think I know how to tie my own shoes!) and what a sense of validation that would give me. That anything they asked me to do I could (and would) do, if I could.

How much greater does God love you than you love your children or parents? How much greater are the blessings he could bestow on you? Knowing He is a jealous God, and He seeks an intimate relation with each of his children , how happy do you think He is when we challenge him to bless us mightily- more so than we dreamed? How proud do you think He is when we ask Him for help, with the faith and innocence my little boys had? Do you think for one second the Father would withhold ANY blessing from you?

Not possible. He wants more for you than you dreamed of. More than you dreamed of asking for.

We have been in this situation. We have been asking for a job to replace what we have lost. I have had many jobs, none of which approach what was taken from us, so recently I decided to start a consulting business to capitalize on my experience over the last several years and leverage it and my relationships to grow a business.

I approached a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago for some financial backing. My business plan is simple, straight forward, and with no overhead save our living expenses, I felt the amount I was asking for would be easy for him to approve and more than adequate for the business' needs.

Rather, I was disappointed when he rejected my plea, saying instead he felt I was thinking too small. He felt I should be seeking some serious start-up capital (the sum makes me queasy), and that would allow me to hit this business hard and grow fast.

The bottom line, as crazy as I think it sounds, I think he was right, and I have redone the plan showing rapid growth and allowing me to bring on several people, a couple of whom have had similar challenges, giving THEM a chance to escape the rat race. (Thank you for your vision and advice George).

I have longed to be able to make a difference in peoples' lives and by thinking big, I will be able to do so sooner, and impact more people than if I just went for what we need.

What is happening in your life, or your families' lives that requires an adjustment in your thinking, in your altitude? Do you need a different perspective? Will it require you to step outside your comfort zone and learn new skills, to push your abilities?

Good! God will not only show you the way, but He will give you the strength, courage and wisdom to make it. He will put people in your path to mentor, assist and guide you. Just ask Him, pray patiently and wait for your answers to appear supernaturally.