“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” You know that one; we say it all the time and I admit that it’s quite the norm for me to repeat the words without thinking about them at all. Like The Jesus Prayer they go right to my subconscious, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The repetition sink in, which is all for the good.
Good also happens when we consciously ponder the words, which I did this morning. It occurred to me that as far as forgiving others their trespasses, that not a big issue for me. I don’t hold many grudges; I usually don’t feel attacked by what others do; I don’t take much personally. It just isn’t where my energy needs to go.
Instead, my forgiving focuses on forgiving myself. Perhaps that’s where vanity comes in, taking the sinful form of wanting to be perfect. If I could treat myself like I treat others, if I could forgive myself as easily as I forgive others, God’s will would “be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
The little boy with terminal cancer is now with God. He is no longer suffering. Please pray for his family.
Good also happens when we consciously ponder the words, which I did this morning. It occurred to me that as far as forgiving others their trespasses, that not a big issue for me. I don’t hold many grudges; I usually don’t feel attacked by what others do; I don’t take much personally. It just isn’t where my energy needs to go.
Instead, my forgiving focuses on forgiving myself. Perhaps that’s where vanity comes in, taking the sinful form of wanting to be perfect. If I could treat myself like I treat others, if I could forgive myself as easily as I forgive others, God’s will would “be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
The little boy with terminal cancer is now with God. He is no longer suffering. Please pray for his family.
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