“I want you to know,” he continued, “that you are welcome here. I don’t know what you’ve done and what you’ve not done. I don’t care. We’re all sinners, and sinners are welcome here.” This says it all for me Mark. I/we too have all suffered in similar manners and it's this kind of grace, through sinners, that I've come to recognize as a true blessing of Christ!
Mark, please keep writing. Your authentic experience expressed through a Christian lens is so necessary in this time. We are each trying to find our way and walking alongside you is a help.
Mark... I have been subscribing to your newsletter for a number of years and have always been captivated by your articulate writings that always point me to the beautiful redemptive truths of the Gospel of Jesus. What you've most recently experienced and have written about today further enhances for me the redemption story and the amazing truth of why Jesus came... to come close to us in spite of the depravity of our lives. Thank you, Mark, for allowing the Spirit to use that "rude" early morning awakening to take you deeper into the reality that we're all messed up and broken sinners but that we're all profoundly loved by a Savior who not only forgives but who delights in us... no matter where we are in the faith journey. Press on, dear brother! Rejoicing!
I find it fascinating how we all like to be the judge, especially of situations so far removed from us. We watch Dateline or listen to true crime podcasts and we pretend our opinion matters. If more Christians said, "I don't need to know" more grace would be extended. Ultimately, there is One judge, and praise God we can know what he will say if we put our faith in Him!
I've walked through this dark valley before. What you have written in the past and present rings very true for me and I thank you for your bravery to write what you did in the past and for your openness now. May God continue to heal you and give you direction, no matter what others think of you.
Thanks for sharing. I experienced a similar situation some years ago, though not nearly so public, when I was falsely accused of something I didn't do. Colleagues distanced themselves and my the-glass-is-half-full personality took a dive toward depression. The lust for vindication overwhelmed me and I schemed how to recover my reputation. One morning, though, I was praying for courage to mount a come back, when the Spirit assaulted my thoughts with a jarring, course-altering question, "Is it enough that I, your Lord, know the truth?" I was faced with a test, to let go of human approval, or pursue vindication. Over time it was enough that the Lord knew the truth...and I have been able to encourage others with this story.
Romans 5:8 - "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." We didn't even KNOW Him, and he already died for us.
"For God so loved the WORLD..."
I think you've said something far more profound than you may realize. We will start with the reasonable premise that we can't outdo God in any Godly quality. We cannot out-love Him, out-forgive Him - out-anything Him. He does not ask of us what He Himself will not or cannot do. And yet I agree with you when you said that we are to forgive "even if the other person has not asked for it, or even believes forgiveness is necessary." Marriage and friendships are fine examples, but we are expected to forgive our enemies too, even to do good to them. I think there's a lot of theology to unpack in there. 1Cor13 is the definitive description of God Himself.
Mark, thanks for your thoughtful, spiritual and deeply personal reflections. You have and continue to experience deep hurt at a vulnerable time in your life. I admire your honesty and courage in sharing your struggles. May you continue to receive God’s grace and care as you process everything internally and externally.
Thank you for writing such a heart-felt, “raw” article about what you have been going though. Yes, forgiving when no repentance is shown and no remorse is evident is hard. I had to do that for my Father….my Dad. He never asked for forgiveness but I had to give it to him. Otherwise I would not have healed, and my relationship with the Lord would have been negatively affected.
Well expresses. Thank you. As with Joseph, God did not cause this yet He can use it to His glory. Sometimes, like Bill Buckner, we make the error. Sometimes the ball takes a bad hop. But the important thing is to continue to play the game the best we can. May God bless you and use you to help others. Steve+
Amen to the content of this post! I don't know the truth of what may have happened, but a repentant heart and forgiveness is the only way forward. And Romans 5:3-6 teaches us that tribulation/suffering when gone through well produces the hope that we need for living, knowing that Christ died for the ungodly--which is us. You apparently are experiencing that. Thanks be to God!
Mark, thank you for sharing. Forgiveness can be difficult, but it can also be difficult to understand. God has reconciled us to Himself in Christ, yet Scripture also says that restoration is not complete unless we in turn reconcile ourselves to Him (2 Cor. 5:20). I wonder whether the hardest calling isn’t forgiveness, but repentance.
I find that, in the evangelical world in which I’ve been churched for nearly four decades, forgiveness is assumed to restore full relationship, or peace, or to make a problem “go away,” when it really does not. I wish there were as strong an emphasis on repentance and restitution as there is on forgiveness. God indeed forgives us in Christ, yet that forgiveness is useless to us unless we accept it, and we can’t accept it without realizing that we need it.
Sometimes, we have to cut our losses either way, whether we need to forgive, or be forgiven, or to repent, or be apologized to.
Mark: Your thoughts about forgiveness go right to the very heart of the matter! Forgiving here on earth is the very highest call and activity we can do. The next level is to realize that no offense was ever taken by God and that we are beyond being hurt or even hurting others who are also beyond being hurt. As eternal spirits we are all lovely, holy, happy, and just fine:).
“I want you to know,” he continued, “that you are welcome here. I don’t know what you’ve done and what you’ve not done. I don’t care. We’re all sinners, and sinners are welcome here.” This says it all for me Mark. I/we too have all suffered in similar manners and it's this kind of grace, through sinners, that I've come to recognize as a true blessing of Christ!
Mark, please keep writing. Your authentic experience expressed through a Christian lens is so necessary in this time. We are each trying to find our way and walking alongside you is a help.
Mark... I have been subscribing to your newsletter for a number of years and have always been captivated by your articulate writings that always point me to the beautiful redemptive truths of the Gospel of Jesus. What you've most recently experienced and have written about today further enhances for me the redemption story and the amazing truth of why Jesus came... to come close to us in spite of the depravity of our lives. Thank you, Mark, for allowing the Spirit to use that "rude" early morning awakening to take you deeper into the reality that we're all messed up and broken sinners but that we're all profoundly loved by a Savior who not only forgives but who delights in us... no matter where we are in the faith journey. Press on, dear brother! Rejoicing!
I find it fascinating how we all like to be the judge, especially of situations so far removed from us. We watch Dateline or listen to true crime podcasts and we pretend our opinion matters. If more Christians said, "I don't need to know" more grace would be extended. Ultimately, there is One judge, and praise God we can know what he will say if we put our faith in Him!
I've walked through this dark valley before. What you have written in the past and present rings very true for me and I thank you for your bravery to write what you did in the past and for your openness now. May God continue to heal you and give you direction, no matter what others think of you.
Thanks for sharing. I experienced a similar situation some years ago, though not nearly so public, when I was falsely accused of something I didn't do. Colleagues distanced themselves and my the-glass-is-half-full personality took a dive toward depression. The lust for vindication overwhelmed me and I schemed how to recover my reputation. One morning, though, I was praying for courage to mount a come back, when the Spirit assaulted my thoughts with a jarring, course-altering question, "Is it enough that I, your Lord, know the truth?" I was faced with a test, to let go of human approval, or pursue vindication. Over time it was enough that the Lord knew the truth...and I have been able to encourage others with this story.
I’m so glad to see you here…
Mark, Thank you. Others have made similar missteps and are walking similar paths. I know of at least one, intimately.
Your vulnerable efforts at shedding light on “now what?” is helpful for all of us bent imagers whom God is straightening.
Thanks for sharing Mark. Praying for you and know the Lord will guide your next steps.
Romans 5:8 - "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." We didn't even KNOW Him, and he already died for us.
"For God so loved the WORLD..."
I think you've said something far more profound than you may realize. We will start with the reasonable premise that we can't outdo God in any Godly quality. We cannot out-love Him, out-forgive Him - out-anything Him. He does not ask of us what He Himself will not or cannot do. And yet I agree with you when you said that we are to forgive "even if the other person has not asked for it, or even believes forgiveness is necessary." Marriage and friendships are fine examples, but we are expected to forgive our enemies too, even to do good to them. I think there's a lot of theology to unpack in there. 1Cor13 is the definitive description of God Himself.
Mark, thanks for your thoughtful, spiritual and deeply personal reflections. You have and continue to experience deep hurt at a vulnerable time in your life. I admire your honesty and courage in sharing your struggles. May you continue to receive God’s grace and care as you process everything internally and externally.
Thank you for writing such a heart-felt, “raw” article about what you have been going though. Yes, forgiving when no repentance is shown and no remorse is evident is hard. I had to do that for my Father….my Dad. He never asked for forgiveness but I had to give it to him. Otherwise I would not have healed, and my relationship with the Lord would have been negatively affected.
Thank you for your honesty and sharing your pain.
Well expresses. Thank you. As with Joseph, God did not cause this yet He can use it to His glory. Sometimes, like Bill Buckner, we make the error. Sometimes the ball takes a bad hop. But the important thing is to continue to play the game the best we can. May God bless you and use you to help others. Steve+
Amen to the content of this post! I don't know the truth of what may have happened, but a repentant heart and forgiveness is the only way forward. And Romans 5:3-6 teaches us that tribulation/suffering when gone through well produces the hope that we need for living, knowing that Christ died for the ungodly--which is us. You apparently are experiencing that. Thanks be to God!
Mark, thank you for sharing. Forgiveness can be difficult, but it can also be difficult to understand. God has reconciled us to Himself in Christ, yet Scripture also says that restoration is not complete unless we in turn reconcile ourselves to Him (2 Cor. 5:20). I wonder whether the hardest calling isn’t forgiveness, but repentance.
I find that, in the evangelical world in which I’ve been churched for nearly four decades, forgiveness is assumed to restore full relationship, or peace, or to make a problem “go away,” when it really does not. I wish there were as strong an emphasis on repentance and restitution as there is on forgiveness. God indeed forgives us in Christ, yet that forgiveness is useless to us unless we accept it, and we can’t accept it without realizing that we need it.
Sometimes, we have to cut our losses either way, whether we need to forgive, or be forgiven, or to repent, or be apologized to.
Mark: Your thoughts about forgiveness go right to the very heart of the matter! Forgiving here on earth is the very highest call and activity we can do. The next level is to realize that no offense was ever taken by God and that we are beyond being hurt or even hurting others who are also beyond being hurt. As eternal spirits we are all lovely, holy, happy, and just fine:).