O Lord my heart is aching
Battered, torn and bruised
I've been trampled, beaten and broken
I've been pained and despitefully used
God, why have you allowed this?
And what do you want me to do?
"Forgive" my Savior whispered
"As I have forgiven you"
But how can I forgive Lord
With this anger in my heart?
"By faith" my Savior whispered
"Then I will do My part"
The darkness was yielding to morning
His patient hand leading me on
He lifted me on the high places
Riding the wings of the dawn
I arose with the Sun of righteousness
Who brought healing in His wings
My heart that was stony and bitter
Became a new heart that only grace brings
Living Waters of His forgiveness
Burst forth from my heart like a fountain
Washing and cleansing the hate and the pride
That had loomed in my soul like a mountain
Now I have peace with the agony gone
He has healed me and set me free
What a wonderful gift and what great reward
The Lord Jesus forgiving through me!
And now I beseech you, O friend of the Lord
Forgive those who've harmed or offended
As we forgive others so we'll be forgiven
Just as our Father intended
by Crista L. Darr(copyright 2004)
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This is very beautiful. I'm regret that I am just now getting to read it. But I know God has perfect timing in everything. Thank you. I do hope you keep writing. God bless.
It's an exausting but necessary thing to learn to forgive someone that has so painfully violated you. I tip my hat to any soul that has found the strength and the courage to reach beyond and offer mercy instead of malice.
I might have commented on this to you privately but I wanted to say tonight how it impacted me. I have been so busy, so tired lately and I came here after being absent for a few weeks. I saw this and read it and it struck such a chord with me. I think forgiving when you are wounded is just so hard. Oh, we can "forgive" but we don't forget and sometimes that's no forgiveness at all! Here you laid it out with such a voice, letting us feel the pain and despair and doubting the ability to forgive. Yet you let the reader see it could be done...
This exhortation is always timely---for there are always children of God being ensnared by the enemy with offenses that try to entangle us and embitter us. Thank you. C Shaffron
Crista, Your poem truly shows us what God expects of each one of us. He says we must forgive in order to receive forgiveness ourselves. Thanks for sharing. Yours in Christ, Carol
Crista,
A whisper of words that have spoken gentle admonishion to my heart. A very well written verse on how to successfully forgive.
Thanks for sharing this with the site. - Nancy
Crista, what a powerful message this is to each of us. Forgiveness, born in God's heart, can truly sprout in us bearing a rich, rich harvest that changes lives around us.
I was especially moved by the line:
My heart that was stony and bitter
Became a new heart that only grace brings
Only Grace can bring forgiveness, both in our life and through it.
Blessings....
DeAnna
