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A Beautiful Forward

I got this forward from my sweet friend, Karrie, and I loved it so much that I had to share it! That last line touched me too and I hold that quote dear to my heart. Enjoy!

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One day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in
the woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things
were not right. He thought about those who had lied about him back when
he had a job.

His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him.
He remembered family who had passed on. His mind turned to the illness he
had, that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with anger,
resentment, and frustration.

Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing
all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek
the one he knew would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he
prayed:

'Lord- You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told
me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. Today, you have told
me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot. I don't know how. It
is not fair Lord, I didn't deserve these wrongs that were done against me
and I shouldn't have to forgive. As perfect as your way is Lord, this one
thing I can not do, for I don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep
Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray you teach me to do the one
thing I can not do: Teach me to forgive.'

As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt
something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner
of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt. He could not turn to see
what it was because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece
of wood in the ground. He raised his head and saw two feet held to the
wood with a large spike through them.

He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus
hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a
torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head. Finally he saw the
suffering and pain on His precious face. As their eyes met, the man's
tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

'Have you ever told a lie?' He asked?

The man answered - 'Yes, Lord.'

'Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?'

The man answered - 'Yes, Lord.' And the man sobbed more and more.

'Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours?' Jesus asked?

And the man answered, 'Yes, Lord.'

'Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain?'

The man, crying now, answered - 'Yes, Lord...'

As Jesus asked many more times, 'Have you ever'? The man's crying became
uncontrollable, for he could only answer - 'Yes, Lord'.

Then Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man felt
something fall on his other shoulder He looked and saw that it was the
blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and
there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.

Jesus said, 'I didn't deserve this either, but I forgive you.'

It may be hard to see how you're going to get through something, but when
you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is.

Read the following first line slowly and let it sink in.


If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.


3 Comments:

  1. carmen uy said...
    Sometimes, trials come to our lives. These trials are sent to us by God to remind us, or the people around us, of things,like being more humble, or being a better child of God. But as you have said, " If God brings us problems, he will also bring us solutions." Or as the Bible says, "You will not be tested beyond your capacity"
    Judy said...
    I was just studying today about submitting to God's will. When we pray, we always need to pray Thy will be done. I like the thought God will help us through it whatever difficulty we have in our lives.
    Billy Coffey said...
    That is one powerful story, and a very humbling one. As much as I know it's necessary, it's hard for me to forgive sometimes. Maybe I need to print this out and keep it, just as a reminder.

    And I love that last line, too.

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