Articles
At Peace With The Past
This day is one that is, at the same time, difficult to remember and difficult to forget. For those old enough to remember this day fifteen years ago, the events still are fresh in the mind, and bring sorrow and anger at the horrendous acts of a few ungodly men. Still today, some get angry at the thought and want revenge; some still look to eliminate anyone and everyone who might believe the same religious doctrines those men believed.
For those of you who may have been around on December 7, 1941, you know what they are going through. Those who lived through that "day in infamy" remember well what happened at Pearl Harbor, and some have not forgotten who it was who did it. Some, still angry at what the Japanese did, refuse to buy Japanese products and are angry that others do not share in their refusal. They are still holding on to their anger more than 75 years after the fact.
In each of these cases, there has been cause for animosity because one side has been attacked and the other was the instigator; great harm has been inflicted, with great loss of life in each case; the responses included war or an extended search for all parties involved in the loosely organized terrorist groups, with more antagonists joining the conflict, extending the response and causing greater loss of life than the original attacks; families lost young sons [and now, daughters] in the ensuing battles, ambushes, and conflicts. With each attack and each death on either side, the other feels compelled to respond with yet another attack, like street gangs in a never-ending turf war. Is it any wonder there are deep-seated feelings of resentment?
Despite all the death and destruction of past conflicts, some do not hold the resentment and are able to move on without holding grudges or a desire to seek the others' destruction, eradication, or subjection. How is it some can reach a point where they are at peace with themselves and others and are trying to help others come to terms with the past, forgive, and move on? What allows some to live without resentment for past wrongs, and enjoy peace with those who have, in the past, been considered enemies? And what are the spiritual parallels and lessons we would do well to learn, too?
If we remember, we were all in conflict with God, for we had all sinned (Rom. 3:23). Because of that sin, “we were enemies” (Rom. 5:10) of God because the life we lived was “enmity against God” (Rom. 8:8). All of this is true about every person who ever lived because all sinned (Rom. 5:12). The world was in conflict with God, but only because sin entered into this world. It didn't start out that way, and it was never what God wanted.
In fact, what we find is that God provided every need for man (Gen. 2). What we find, throughout the recorded history in God's written word, is that despite man's persistent sinfulness, God more often than not did not respond to the same degree that the conflict might have warranted. I know everyone remembers the flood (Gen. 6-9), but seldom thinks about all the times God did not respond to the world's attacks against Him and His character. Think about all the times men blaspheme, malign, and insult God or His character without Him immediately making them a spot of dust. Why doesn't He respond? Why hasn't God, with all the animosity directed towards Him, just struck dead the antagonists or punished them in the way they deserve? Is God not angry with them? Does He not care? Does He even exist?
First of all, Yes, God exists; just because He doesn't respond immediately and proportionately to those who defy, malign, and blaspheme Him doesn't mean He isn't there. Does he not care? Yes, He cares — deeply. Is He angry? Absolutely. “God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psa. 7:11). So why doesn't He punish them in the way they deserve? The answer to that is the answer to why some do not hold onto grudges and are able to move on past wrongs — even very grievous wrongs that still hurt — and are at peace with the past. It is an answer we know well.
God knew even before we were created that we would all turn against Him, yet with this knowledge He did not refuse to create us, but set in place a plan for our reconciliation before He created us (cf. 2 Tim. 1:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-20). Why would He do that? Love. Remember, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). It was love that moved God to go ahead and create us, even though He knew we would all one day rebel against Him, and it was love that moved Him to send His Son to die for our sins, knowing we had no means of reconciliation to Him without it. Truly, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5), and “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9).
The measure of God's forgiveness is great, too, because the sin of man was great. This is illustrated — with a lesson for us — in the story of the unforgiving servant (Matt. 18:21-35). In this story, Jesus told of a man who owed his master 10,000 talents — more money than he would make in several lifetimes — but received forgiveness of the great debt when he pleaded with his master. Despite what had been done for him, this same servant did not show the same mercy on a fellow servant who owed him far less, and was brought back before the master and severely chastised — and then imprisoned — because he did not show mercy when he had been the beneficiary of abundant mercy. The lesson: Forgive because we are forgiven.
The love that God had before we were born and which established the plan by which we could be reconciled is the same love we must have if we want to forgive others and be reconciled. It doesn't matter that they are undeserving; forgiveness is anything but someone being deserving. We forgive in spite of their unworthiness. But as long as we think them unworthy of even our forgiveness, we will continue to hold that grudge and we will find reasons to avoid them, dislike them, and even hate them. As long as we hate, we can never love; as long as we never love, we will never forgive; as long as never forgive, we cannot be forgiven.
The apostle Paul knew he was undeserving, and yet could say, “And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant,” noting “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life” (1 Tim. 1:14-16). Paul acknowledged he was once God's enemy, but had since been forgiven.
This same apostle Paul would also write, “one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind” (Phlp. 3:13); he could forget his past wrongs because God had forgiven them. As a recipient of God's amazing grace, he could forgive himself and move on and move forward, giving his life in service to God in an effort to tell others that they, too, could be forgiven.
You can have peace with God and with yourself, too, if you are willing to forgive and be forgiven. —— Steven Harper
