What does forgiving look like?
How do we know that forgiveness is real?
I would like to tell you about an event that I witnessed. I was volunteering for Alcoholics Anonymous at the county jail and also at the medium and minimum-security facilities at the local prison. A man showed up at the jail. I will call him Abel. Abel was extremely angry and looked like his head was about to explode.
He told his story. His father had just died and left him the family house. He moved in. His ex- stepson needed a place to live, so Abel took him in. The stepson called the police and turned Abel in. His father had 10 guns in the house. Because Abel was a felon, he could not have any weapons where he lived. Each gun added 5 years to his sentence.
He was in his mid forties so Abel saw that 50 years as life sentence. The stepson began selling Abel’s belongings and Abel's deceased father’s things. Being in jail there was nothing Abel could do. He was furious. Fortunately, he began coming to the AA meetings. He learned that his life was a mess and that no human power could save him.
In his past Abel had sort of relationship with God. He decided to turn his life over to God as he understood Him. Abel learned that in order to forgive, you have to start with yourself. He recognized that all these problems went back to choices he had made earlier in life. He forgave himself which is sometimes the hardest person to forgive.
Then he learned to forgive others. He was gone. I didn’t know what had happened to him. He showed up at the medium security prison. He shared his journey with other inmates, who were struggling and gave them hope. Abel was a changed man.
By the way, his 50 year prison term was knocked down by the courts to 10 years. Abel accepted that he was through the grace of God to share his history and his example to give people the courage to change the things they can. Abel’s example gives us on how to forgive, where to begin and that forgiveness changes people. It was no longer about himself it was about other people.
If this story, made you think about forgiving and what that looks like then may God bless your adventure with a spirit-changed life.
Until next time, Charlie
How do we know that forgiveness is real?
I would like to tell you about an event that I witnessed. I was volunteering for Alcoholics Anonymous at the county jail and also at the medium and minimum-security facilities at the local prison. A man showed up at the jail. I will call him Abel. Abel was extremely angry and looked like his head was about to explode.
He told his story. His father had just died and left him the family house. He moved in. His ex- stepson needed a place to live, so Abel took him in. The stepson called the police and turned Abel in. His father had 10 guns in the house. Because Abel was a felon, he could not have any weapons where he lived. Each gun added 5 years to his sentence.
He was in his mid forties so Abel saw that 50 years as life sentence. The stepson began selling Abel’s belongings and Abel's deceased father’s things. Being in jail there was nothing Abel could do. He was furious. Fortunately, he began coming to the AA meetings. He learned that his life was a mess and that no human power could save him.
In his past Abel had sort of relationship with God. He decided to turn his life over to God as he understood Him. Abel learned that in order to forgive, you have to start with yourself. He recognized that all these problems went back to choices he had made earlier in life. He forgave himself which is sometimes the hardest person to forgive.
Then he learned to forgive others. He was gone. I didn’t know what had happened to him. He showed up at the medium security prison. He shared his journey with other inmates, who were struggling and gave them hope. Abel was a changed man.
By the way, his 50 year prison term was knocked down by the courts to 10 years. Abel accepted that he was through the grace of God to share his history and his example to give people the courage to change the things they can. Abel’s example gives us on how to forgive, where to begin and that forgiveness changes people. It was no longer about himself it was about other people.
If this story, made you think about forgiving and what that looks like then may God bless your adventure with a spirit-changed life.
Until next time, Charlie
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