Today though reflective Thursday and usually I like to share some sort of prose or poetry. I believe I will share some things I read today. The fist was a blog post. The second is my continued reading in The Christians Secret to a Happy Life.
The first in the blog post someone was sharing why a certain day had significance. As I read the beginning and actually most of the post my spirit was left uneasy. As the individual recanted memories of the terrible ordeal and mean treatment they had suffered at the hands of another. The post was rather long and somewhere towards the end they shared how they had forgiven and how Christ had done a marvelous work in their lives. Yet, somehow in their willingness to share most of their post and the cruel means thinks the individual did to them, I lost the forgiveness part.
I was reminded of a particular man’s Bible Study I was leading and we were sharing on our father’s when one of the men said a very bold thing to me. You need to forgive your father. What do you mean forgive my father? All I hear from you is the abuse you suffered at your fathers hands. I have not heard once you ever say your father loved you or you love him. I see no tenderness, no mercy, no compassion and no understanding. Yes, being severely abused as you were both emotionally and physically is rough but do you believe God wants you to forget and remember he had a purpose.
I had never though about that I had not forgiven my father until that question.
WOW!!!
I also read another chapter in The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life.
In that chapter was contained the following passages.
One I read of among the brethren of the monastery of St. Cyr. Because of their piety, these brethren incurred the hatred of the monasteries around them, and the anger of their superiors, and were cast out as evil from their community. One of them was sent as prisoner to a monastery where his chief enemies dwelt, and was there subjected to the most cruel and degrading treatment. Although he was of gentle birth, and had been an abbot in the community he had left, he was compelled to do the most menial work, was forced to carry a noisome burden on his back, and was driven out to beg with a placard on his bosom declaring him to be the vilest of the vile. But through it all the spirit of the saint reigned triumphant, and nothing disturbed his calm, or soured for a moment his Christ-like sweetness. For his persecutors he never had anything but words of kindness and smiles of love. And at last by the mighty power of the divine kingdom in which he lived, he subdued all hearts around him to himself, and became the trusted friend and adviser, and the beloved ruler over the very enemies who had once so delighted to persecute and revile him. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." By his meekness he conquered and became king.
At one time a dangerous criminal was sent to the monastery for imprisonment. He was so violent that no bonds sufficed to bind him, and no strength could control him. At last he was taken to the cell of this brother from St. Cyr, and they were shut up together; even the stolid monks themselves recognizing in that divine meekness a power to conquer that surpassed all the powers with which they were acquainted. The saint received the violent man as a beloved brother, and smiled upon him with heavenly kindness. But the criminal returned it with abuse and violence. He broke the monk's furniture and destroyed his bed, he kicked him, and beat him, and tore his hair, and spat upon him. He exhausted himself in his violence against him. Through it all the monk made no resistance, and said no word but words of love; and when at length the criminal, worn out with his fury, paused to take breath, the beaten and outraged man looked upon his persecutor with a smile of ineffable love and tender compassion, as though he would gather him to his bosom and comfort him for his misery. It was more than the criminal could bear. Hatred, and revenge, and anger he could repay in kind, but against love and meekness like this he had no weapons, and his heart was conquered. He fell at the feet of the saint and washed them with his tears, as he entreated forgiveness for his cruelty, and vowed a lifelong loyalty to his service. And from that moment all trouble with that criminal was over. He followed the saint about like a loving and faithful dog, eager to do or to be anything the other might desire. And when the time of his imprisonment was over, and the gates of his prison were opened for his release, he could not be induced to go, because he could not bear to leave the man who had saved him by love.
Now that is forgiveness! I can tell you that I still have not come to that point in my life. That those who rail against me I can speak with words of tenderness and compassion. The blood still curdles and the temperature still lashes, shoot happened yesterday.
I will still tell you there were few days I did not go to school without bruises on my body somewhere. The movie the Great Santini was my life. Dad was the type of father who would call you one time to get out of bed. The next time he greeted you with a cold milk jug on your stomach. I learned how to keep things in, to be a man so to speak. Yet my father loved me enough to adopt me and give me his name. My life really is Romans 8:28 in action. The Psalmist said he has planned my steps before me, there is no doubt why God gave me the father he gave me. It is the inner toughness he built in me that has enabled me to get through those really tough days. As I battle and struggle with a disease that Doctors have classified me as a walking invalid. Two of the most blessed days in my life were when I told my Father publicly at my oldest daughters wedding I loved him, and three months later he would begin to deteriorate. While in the nursing home which would be the last time I would see my father alive. I thanked him for the abuse by telling him out of his three children he got it right the first time. I am the oldest.
May I learn to love as Christ to even speak of those who would abuse me and treat me harshly with the tenderness and mercy and grace of God. So that in the end I might win them to God.
I thank God for giving me the father he gave me even if it meant being abused. He knew what was best and what needed to be done to accomplish his will and mold me into his image.
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