On Forgiveness

Over the past few days, I have been wrestling with this question of commitment and what it entails, which was inspired by a conversation I had with a stranger on my way to church this past Sunday. We were conversing about random things as it usually goes between random strangers. Before we parted ways, I thought since he was married, let me ask him one last question – his ‘best marriage’ advice for someone looking to take that step one day. He took a pause to consider his words, and then responded by saying, “Marriage without forgiveness will not last, marriage is a journey of constant forgiving”.  

This reminded me of a particular trip with the watchman, where he shared his views on love and commitment. The following is a hug of wisdom in truth, a sprinkle of water for the plant within you.

And so it went;

 

Pel'a tulo se tshabehang Sa borena ba jehova,
Bohle, batho, atamelang, Anang ka ho thothomela.

Le mo tsebe, ke Modimo, Ke 'mopi wa dintho tsohle;

Wa laya wa khalemela, Ho se ya ka mo fetolang;
Wa phedisa, wa timetsa, O etsa kamoo a ratang,

Empa ho eena lerato le khanya jwale ka matla.

Sefela~3

Before your revered and holy throne of Godliness,

Let all people approach in humility and reverence,

Know Him, He is God, the creator of all things,

He disciplines and rebukes, without reproach,

He gives life, He takes away, He does as he pleases.

However, within Him, is love that shines ever so greatly.

Hymn~3

 

The Son of Man teaches you that with faith as small as a mustard seed, the impossible becomes possible for the one who believes. He further goes on to advise that you should not be afraid of asking the Father, he will surely provide. In this time where everyone feels like their opinion matters, always remember that by your words you will be judged and by your words you will be exonerated.

It is good for one to grow up and consider a life of marriage, however the burden of commitment is heavy. Consider your life and the many times you failed to meet your own commitments to the things you wanted for yourself, then remember all the times another person needed you to hold on, but you felt like it was beyond you. Sit with that for a while.

It is good for one to grow up and consider a life of marriage, however the hand of He who blesses it, is heavy. If it is from God that you ask for a suitable partner to walk this life with, then your relationship with that God is a reliable indicator of how you will fare, in your quest for long-term commitment. There are those to whom God is a means to an end, a provider when times are tough and a shelter to run to when the winds of life become stormy. There are those who seek and desire God because of his Godliness, who are willing to let go of their ideas of life, their ways of the past and yes even their own dreams and desires. It is then why the Son of Man teaches you to clean the cup on both the inside and out, and not just one side.

It is good for one to grow up and consider a life of marriage, however the journey of forgiveness is both long and heavy. Long because it is a commitment, heavy because it requires you to stay light-hearted throughout. Are you able to consistently put someone else ahead of you without waiting for your turn? is a question that you need to answer honestly and genuinely, otherwise your children will suffer.

Well, a wise man once said that sometimes the walls you build as protection from the hurt, pain and issues outside, after some time, those walls become self-made prisons. Morena o re, if your eye causes you to stumble, take it out as it's better to go through this life with one eye than to have two and lose everything, especially yourself. If your past is causing you to stumble, cut them off - them being people, habits yes even your hopes. How long will you remain in prison... your peace awaits.

Re bafiti mo lefatsheng,

Sefela~148

We are just temporary visitors on this Earth.

Hymn~148

The Son of Man taught you to pray, he says that you must ask the Father for forgiveness, but also the capacity to forgive others. However, you should understand that a person will find it extremely difficult to forgive others, without first learning the art of forgiving themselves.

There is no peace for anyone who holds a grudge. But worse-off is the one who is stuck blaming themselves, feeling like they could have acted in a different way. Thoughts of self-judgement like these in their endless variations, create a cancer of anxiety that you carry into other relationships. Wisdom and understanding teach you that to love God is and will always be to follow his commands. It’s through your relationship with God that you will learn and receive genuine forgiveness, without conditions.

You cannot lie about having a relationship with God, because your capacity to forgive, will show how deep or shallow that relationship is. Was it not the Son of Man who taught you that the person who is forgiven little, loves little, but the one who is forgiven much, loves a lot as well. It is then from this point of view, where you can now understand why forgiveness is the cornerstone of marriage.

So then before one kneels to humbly place requests before God in prayer, especially for blessings such as marriage, a family or your spiritual purpose. Before you cry out to the Father that life is unbearable. The question remains, are you genuinely able to consistently put someone else ahead of you without waiting for your turn? Your answer will give you insight into where you are on your journey with God, but more importantly whether you are ready for the things that you are asking for.

One last time, you cannot lie about your relationship with God. If there’s one thing, I’d love for you take from my journey, it’s that the Son of Man was telling the truth when He encouraged us to seek the kingdom of God FIRST and then everything else including our desires, asks, healing and blessings will follow. That is how and where you find peace.

In conclusion,

Proverbs 4 v23.

 

Ba itshepelang Modimo, le botshepehi bo oona,

Betang pelo, le mo siele sebaka,

Mookamedi ea renang, O tseba se le se tlhokang.

Sefela~17

To those who trust in God, and His faithfulness,

Worry not, and leave all things in His hands,

Our Father God who provides, knows all that you need.

Hymn~17

This is just a leaf from my tree, a tool for the journey to set you free.