The Prisoner Set
Free
By Sarah Kosanke
“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”
By Sarah Kosanke
“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”
Micah 7:18-19
In the spring of 2012, a drunk driver hit me head-on, looked me in the eye, and then drove away. I was left alone in the dark, bewildered, injured and in shock. I knew upon impact that this moment would change my life; only my Lord knew it would be for the better. The injuries from this accident were life-changing. My body hurt immensely, my trust in other drivers was shattered, but my worst injury of all was...hatred.
I
hated this person whose bad choices altered my life. Because of that
individual, my schoolwork suffered, my body was in extreme pain, and my
already-tight finances were stretched, too. With every added stressor from this
event, my hatred grew bigger. It wasn’t until I was challenged by my sweet
mother to address this issue of hatred, and the lack of forgiveness, did things
start turning around in my life.
Christian
author and pastor Max Lucado says it so perfectly, “Forgiveness is unlocking
the door to set someone free and... realizing you were the prisoner.” When it came time for the sentencing in
court, the judge heard both of our sides of the story. He looked at me and said
that I had every right to be angry. He also said that the drunk driver was at
my mercy. I looked into the eyes of the
person who impacted my life so negatively. I made eye contact and, through the
power and direction of the Holy Spirit, I gently whispered, “I forgive you.”
I now realize… I was
the prisoner all along!
Instantly,
I thought of how I'm going to feel when I stand before the Heavenly Father one
day. My lifetime of sin has earned me death. He has every right to be angry and
banish me from His sight for eternity. I am at His mercy... but then Jesus
steps in. Because of HIS blood, oh, how sweet His whisper, “Forgiven.”
GOING DEEPER:
1. Is there someone in your life that you need to
forgive? I challenge you today to ask the Lord to prepare your heart.
2. Ask the Lord to show you the impact of forgiveness in your own life. (Think, has someone forgiven you for something you could never repay?)
2. Ask the Lord to show you the impact of forgiveness in your own life. (Think, has someone forgiven you for something you could never repay?)
Sarah is a single
young lady who is in school to become a registered nurse. When she is not busy
at clinical or studying for her next exam, she enjoys worshiping with her
family in Christ at Oakwood Church.
