HOW TO FORGIVE (WOW)

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 that 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 cannot 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 that you teach me to do this one thing I cannot 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.

Lord I love You and I need You, come into my heart, today. For

without You I can do nothing