Christian Spirituality

Forgiveness is a Choice

Posted by Wendy Minton Edwards in category on August 07, 2012

The Christian spiritual life is full of choices.  We make the choice to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  We make the choice to participate in congregational activities (worship, Bible study, choir, etc.)  We make the choice to serve others (missions, prayer, caregiving, etc).  God allows us the option of making good choices. 

Christians regularly make deliberate choices, based on God’s guidance, that we cannot realize on our own.  For example…we cannot save ourselves; but we make the choice to accept God’s salvation offered through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.  Many years ago, based on God’s instruction, Moses made the choice to confront Pharaoh, even though he was not a speaker (Exodus 4:10-12).  And we can still make spiritual choices and depend on God to bring results.

Many aging adults need to make the choice to extend and receive forgiveness.  The Greek text (original text of the New Testament) often uses the word aphiemi to indicate forgiveness.  Aphiemi literally means “to drop, to open your hand and just let whatever is in it fall to the ground.” (The Beautiful Work of Learning to Pray: 31 Lessons. James C. Howell. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003, 76.) Aging adults (and others too) can make the choice to receive and/or extend forgiveness, intentionally let go of whatever it is that has hindered forgiveness, and trust God to work within us and through us.  God specializes in doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Give it a try!  Today, make the choice to forgive!  You’ll find it much easier to live with yourself, others, and God.

Contact NCBAM for further encouragement in the Christian spiritual life.