Welcome to our Chapter 6 Discussion of Real Moms…Real Jesus. Let’s start with the Perspective titled “I’m Dealing with Disobedience Around Every Corner!”
Have you ever considered that Jesus would teach and teach his disciples and yet they still had trouble “getting it?”
As a mom, I experience the same thing! I teach and teach and they sometimes just don’t get it!
When you and get frustrated with our kids, we can talk to Jesus about it! He understands!
On to Chapter Six entitled “Jesus Forgave: The Truth About Forgiveness.” One of the nice things about this book is that you don’t have to read the chapters in order. In fact, if you have the book but haven’t been able to read this far, can I suggest that you read Chapter 6 during naptime today? Or maybe during your lunch hour?
Why?
Because there isn’t a one of us that doesn’t need to be encouraged in understanding forgiveness!
Here are a few questions for today’s discussion. Feel free to answer any or all of the questions or to ask a few of your own!
- Have you ever considered unforgiveness as a battle between you and God? Why or why not?
- Do you have an experience with forgiveness that you would be willing to share with us to encourage us to make the choice of forgiveness?
- Is the concept that “forgiveness is a choice” a new concept for you? If you do not forgive, what happens to your heart and mind?
- What is one thing from this chapter that impacted you the most?
From page 93:
Do you need to tell God you’re sorry and ask for His forgiveness? Do it today. Do you need to tell your husband you’re sorry and ask for his forgiveness? Do it today. Do you need to tell your kids you’re sorry and ask for their forgiveness? Don’t wait any longer…do it today. Josh McDowell says the “forgiveness is the oil of relationship,” and every on of our relationships probably needs some lubrication that only humility, repentance, and forgiveness can bring.
I really liked reading 1 John 1:8-10 from The Message: “If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. … On the other hand, if we admit our sins … he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. … If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God — make a liar out of him.”
I think my biggest thing is how I react to people disappointing me. I have high expectations, and sometimes I need to grant grace quicker than I do, even in my mind toward someone. You talk about that on page 96: “We live with people and people make mistakes. They let us down. They disappoint us. They make poor choices. They forget something that was important to us. You and I have to have a way to handle those hurts and disappointments caused by other people. The way Jesus showed us was to choose forgiveness.” GREAT ADVICE. Sounds simple, but it’s such a refreshing reminder to me.
Thanks for this chapter.
Kristin,
Those expectations get us every time, don’t they? I struggle with the same thing. But over time I’m learning to give grace quicker which let’s my heart heal faster. That’s the ultimate goal in it all!
Jill
I think the hard thing for me about forgiveness is the idea (which I’ve ready many times in many books about the topic of forgiveness so I know others feel this way too…) that if I forgive them it will be saying what they did was okay. Something else I think about a lot in regards to forgiveness is how I automatically don’t begin trusting the person again after they’ve hurt me. So does that mean I haven’t forgiven them? I think trust is something you build and work towards, to get the relationship back to the level it was. I don’t think it’s going to happen overnight.
I loved what you wrote on page 96 about the Y in the road. Really made me think 🙂
I loved how you brought up the fact of how God does not treat us as we deserve. You are so right–we treat others that way, instead of realizing that we are right there with them! This point hit me so hard.
And, also, how Christ’s last action on the cross was forgiveness….how powerful.
I also really related to the “Y” in the road thing, but to me, it goes even farther than the forgiveness genre! I see it in almost everything I do now that I am actually looking for it.
I have a choice: to obey God or not to obey. To shout at my children in anger or to speak quietly to them. To serve my own needs or to serve my husband or my children….etc. I am conciously trying to make the an effort to take the higher road. We have so many crossroads everyday…and I’m realizing it more and more now!