Happy Wednesday friends! As I shared a couple of weeks ago, I am excited to re-share some of the most popular devotional posts that I wrote in 2017-2018 (if you would like to see the complete list you can find it HERE!) and am excited to share this one this week! I am also excited to share that these devotional posts will soon be available (without the tie to When Calls the Heart) in a new and upcoming devotional book, February Caravan, that will be released February 1st. Stay tuned for more information to follow! In the meantime I am excited to start sharing again with y'all and I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!
One of my favorite parts of the 6th episode in Season 1 were the words that Elizabeth wrote in her journal. There is such a simple yet deep truth that is conveyed here, the reality that relationships in all forms can be confusing, and how it can feel that we are all speaking in foreign tongues. Many times it can be extremely hard and difficult to understand each other. But it is Elizabeth's last part of her journal entry that really makes me stop and ponder. "What part of our failure to communicate comes from our own brokenness and what part does my brokenness play?"
Have you ever stopped to consider the brokenness
that surrounds our lives and the way that this brokenness will play into each of our
relationships? It can truly effect each of us in so many different ways. We can interpret the things people are saying in light of our brokenness instead of taking their words at face value, understanding that they may be coming from a different place. We can take offense at words that weren't meant to offend. We can sometimes even take up "causes" in light of brokenness instead of the name of righteous justice, growing distracted by things that don't truly matter in this life. We can grow bitter, holding onto pain and anger instead of having loving and open hearts due to brokenness. How do we move past this? How do we work through our own brokenness
I think that we must consider the truth and need for forgiveness to combat our brokenness. Forgiveness that will allow us to love and freely live fully in light of grace that we experience. It is true that brokenness is a part of our world and will have an impact, but by living in light of forgiveness we find a blessing that is beyond priceless. Is it easy? Absolutely not.
Forgiveness is difficult, messy, and a painful road, but continuing to carry our brokenness will always continue to cause us to communicate with others in foreign tongues. Living in unforgiveness will be like a Cancer that will continue to spread with no way of stopping the destructive path it creates.
Many, many years ago I was truly confronted in my own life with this topic when I watched a documentary entitled, "As We Forgive". The premise of the movie is, "Could you forgive a person who murdered your family?" That question is the entire basis and concept of the movie "As We Forgive". The description of the documentary said:
“This is the question faced by the subjects of As We Forgive, a documentary
about Rosaria and Chantal- two Rwandan women coming face-to-face with the men
who slaughtered their families during the 1994 genocide. The subjects of As We Forgive speak for a nation that is still
wracked by the grief of the genocide that killed one in eight Rwandans in 1994.
Overwhelmed by an enormous backlog of court cases, the government has returned
over 50,000 genocide perpetrators back to the very communities they helped to
destroy. Without the hope of full justice, Rwanda has turned to a new solution:
Reconciliation. But can it be done? Can survivors truly forgive the killers who
destroyed their families? Can the government expect this from its people? And
can the church, which failed at moral leadership during the genocide, fit into
the process of reconciliation today? In As We Forgive, director Laura Waters
Hinson and narrator Mia Farrow explore these topics through the lives of four
neighbors once caught in opposite tides of a genocidal bloodbath, and their
extraordinary journey from death to life through forgiveness.” (http://asweforgivemovie.com/)
Doesn't this challenge you friends? It challenges me so deeply as I watched the documentary years ago and then thought about it while watching episode 6 of season 1. Brokenness in the world has the opportunity to bring out the fact that communication between others can be difficult, messy, complicated, and even feel foreign. But living in forgiveness allow us to live fully in the grace that God gives and offer that freely to others.
Will we always agree with others? No.
Will we always see eye-to-eye with everything another person says? No.
But in offering forgiveness and moving beyond the brokenness we bring a grace to every situation that is beautifully unique than what is offered and seen in the world.
Today, let us offer that forgiveness and grace in light of brokenness. Let us move beyond the mis-communications that come of the brokenness that is in our world and extend the powerful hope of forgiveness. What a beautiful testimony of the truths that we see witnessed in Hope Valley this would be for our world. Forgiveness makes the path of brokenness from death to life an extraordinary journey that can only result in grace and love.
"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love...never be without it."
-Colossians 3:13-17, The Message-
-Colossians 3:13-17, The Message-
*originally published on Caravan Sonnet in April 2017*
If you would like to watch the "As We Forgive" documentary you can find it on Amazon by clicking HERE.
Looking for past From Hope Valley Devotionals? You can click HERE to find a complete listing of all of the devotionals!
I receive several emails a week asking where you can watch older episodes of "When Calls the Heart". If you have a Netflix account you can find seasons 1-3 there or you can purchase them on Amazon. You can purchase and watch all of the seasons and episodes by clicking on the links below:
*Please note that the quotes used in these weekly devotionals are the sole intellectual property of Hallmark Channel, WCTH, & Crown Media, LLC. These on-line posts are in no way supported, endorsed or affiliated with WCTH, Hallmark Channel, or Crown Media. They are simply encouragement inspired by Janette Oke and this precious show.*
2 comments
Loved this! Thank you! When Christians are accused of being weak & using religion as a crutch, I remind those people about forgiveness--how it takes great strength of character to forgive, and how easy it is to hate & hold onto unforgiveness. Like you said, it's not always easy to forgive, but it's what God calls us to do
ReplyDeleteAnd it's always the right thing to do!
Mary,
DeleteThank you so much for taking the time to stop by and read and leave a comment. It is so true - it is not always easy to forgive, but it is what God calls us to do. I love how you say "it takes great strength of character to forgive". That is so incredibly true! Thank you again for stopping by, reading, and taking the time to comment today! I hope that you have a wonderful rest of the week!
Blessings, Rebecca :)