“I just want to be forgiven.” The desire for true forgiveness is something that everyone experiences. Carrying the weight of error, bad decisions, and broken relationships can be too much to bear alone. Last week, I visited with a young man who I will call Tony to protect his identity.
As I entered the room, I spoke to the group and asked, “Does anyone needed to speak with the Chaplain?” Tony raised his hand. We grabbed a couple of chairs; sat and talked. Tony has been in the facility for about two weeks and was from out of state.
As we sat, I asked, “How can I help you?”
He answered, “I need prayer for forgiveness.” He did not stop there but he continued to say, “I need forgiveness, I want my parents to forgive me and I want God to save my parents.”
I sat and just listened to this young man as he cried out for another chance. We know that those who are weary and heavy-laden can find rest in Jesus Christ. Of course, I prayed with him and I also commended him because he not only took responsibility for the wrong he did, but he exhibited an unselfish prayer for his family as well. Even the way in which he went about it was commendable, starting with his desire to get himself right first. This is something that we all can learn; we are not perfect. We as believers need to exercise our liberty to come before the throne of grace seeking mercy and finding grace to help us when we need it. He then requested that his parents forgive him. Realizing that he had hurt and disappointed his parents, he desired to hear it from them.
It is important to forgive others when they have wronged us and also tell them they are forgiven to provide closure. This is often the only way an individual can move forward. Life without forgiveness is a life lived in the past. Forgiveness is one of the first steps of reconciliation.
Let me share this: reconciliation is the fruit of effective intercession. Intercession is performed by Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and all believers throughout Scripture. Jesus is our advocate and intercedes on our behalf to the Father. We are told in 1 John 2:1 that if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. The Holy Spirit intercedes for the believers as we do not know what to pray. Beyond that, all believers are told to pray for all people. We are not only to pray for our families as believers, but also for leaders, the unsaved, and those who have wronged us. Reconciliation of relationships was the thing that Tony was seeking.
I request that you keep Tony in your prayers as he seeks restoration with his family. Let’s also keep His parents in prayer because it may be difficult for them to completely forgive their son, but with God’s help we can have confidence that it is all possible. Something that I believe we can learn from Tony is that we need to reconcile relationships that are broken in our lives. When Jesus laid down his life for our sins, he interceded for us and paid the price so that we may live. Yes, the price that was paid was not cheap for our Lord and it is even the more reason we should forgive, intercede and be reconciled with those closest to us.
Be reconciled and be blessed.
As I entered the room, I spoke to the group and asked, “Does anyone needed to speak with the Chaplain?” Tony raised his hand. We grabbed a couple of chairs; sat and talked. Tony has been in the facility for about two weeks and was from out of state.
As we sat, I asked, “How can I help you?”
He answered, “I need prayer for forgiveness.” He did not stop there but he continued to say, “I need forgiveness, I want my parents to forgive me and I want God to save my parents.”
I sat and just listened to this young man as he cried out for another chance. We know that those who are weary and heavy-laden can find rest in Jesus Christ. Of course, I prayed with him and I also commended him because he not only took responsibility for the wrong he did, but he exhibited an unselfish prayer for his family as well. Even the way in which he went about it was commendable, starting with his desire to get himself right first. This is something that we all can learn; we are not perfect. We as believers need to exercise our liberty to come before the throne of grace seeking mercy and finding grace to help us when we need it. He then requested that his parents forgive him. Realizing that he had hurt and disappointed his parents, he desired to hear it from them.
It is important to forgive others when they have wronged us and also tell them they are forgiven to provide closure. This is often the only way an individual can move forward. Life without forgiveness is a life lived in the past. Forgiveness is one of the first steps of reconciliation.
Let me share this: reconciliation is the fruit of effective intercession. Intercession is performed by Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and all believers throughout Scripture. Jesus is our advocate and intercedes on our behalf to the Father. We are told in 1 John 2:1 that if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. The Holy Spirit intercedes for the believers as we do not know what to pray. Beyond that, all believers are told to pray for all people. We are not only to pray for our families as believers, but also for leaders, the unsaved, and those who have wronged us. Reconciliation of relationships was the thing that Tony was seeking.
I request that you keep Tony in your prayers as he seeks restoration with his family. Let’s also keep His parents in prayer because it may be difficult for them to completely forgive their son, but with God’s help we can have confidence that it is all possible. Something that I believe we can learn from Tony is that we need to reconcile relationships that are broken in our lives. When Jesus laid down his life for our sins, he interceded for us and paid the price so that we may live. Yes, the price that was paid was not cheap for our Lord and it is even the more reason we should forgive, intercede and be reconciled with those closest to us.
Be reconciled and be blessed.
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