Apr 2 - "The Wall"

Mark 11:24-25 -- “So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”

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Are you holding onto forgiveness which needs to be given? Is there someone who has harmed you by their words or actions?

When we hold onto forgiveness, it builds a wall. Each instance we have placed on the list of wrongs which we keep in our heart is a heavy brick. Over time, these bricks stack up and separate us from the people around us. But most importantly, they separate us from God. We say to ourselves, “If only that person would acknowledge what they did to me was wrong. THEN I will forgive them.” Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.

When we expect confession, repentance and the request for forgiveness from the person who has wronged us, that is not forgiveness. That is justice in a sense...or maybe fair commerce. One person has wronged the other, they ask forgiveness, pardon is granted. That series of events is a transaction, not blessed and holy action. True forgiveness comes when the injured party grants pardon to the offender, without the offender asking for it, or sometimes even being aware of the harm they have caused.

In Mark’s Gospel today, we see Jesus telling us that prayer is powerful. All we have to do is speak to God in prayer and whatever we ask will be granted. But, just after He tells us these miraculous words, we get the small print. He gives us a qualifier, of sorts; a requirement which must be met in order for the prayers to work. We must forgive. There cannot be anything standing between us and God when we speak these prayers.

You may say, however, “That is easy for God to do. He can forgive. His feelings aren’t hurt as much as ours, if at all. He is all powerful and Holy. God can forgive endlessly, but I can’t”. It is not so. You are powerful. You are Holy. You are made in His Image. The ability to forgive without expectation of justice or transaction is in you and in each one of us. And the beautiful thing is, that the forgiveness you give will come back to you in manifold returns.

When it comes to us humans, forgiveness is for the forgiver, not the forgiven. And the amazing blessing is that, when it comes to God, forgiveness is ALSO for the forgiven. Forgiveness is a gift for you regardless from whom it comes; from you or from God. Additionally, when we know we have harmed someone due to our own thoughts, words or actions, the blessing comes again, when they have made the choice to forgive us.

So, remember, whether to you or from you, forgiveness is for you. Forgiveness destroys the wall which separates us from our relationship with God and with those around us. Let go of that forgiveness, let it flow...today...right now...and you will be blessed.