Please, Forgive Me

"What's it like being raised in a Christian home?"

This was the question one of the women asked in our preschool group a few years ago. Many of the women in the group, including myself, were first generation Christians and wanted to know what it was like. They wanted insight.

The mother's who were raised in a Christian home didn't really know how to answer. They said things such as: our siblings fought, our parents got angry, we yelled, we were disrespectful to parents, we lied, and did other things.

They one thing that they all agreed on was their parents pointed them to Christ. Were there parents perfect? No, but they pointed them to the one who is.

But one mom said something that has always stuck with me. She said, "Whenever my mom got angry or frustrated with us, she would always ask us to forgive her."

As parents, friends, kids, etc we can let pride rule in our hearts and not humility. We can puff out our chests and justify our actions. Pat ourselves on the back because we are right and the other person is wrong.

This is hard for me. I wasn't raised in a home where people said they were sorry so I struggle with asking my kids or husband to forgive me when I have sinned against them. As a parent, I'm the authority I don't need to. As a wife, I'm just right even if I'm wrong. :)

Oh, Pride, how I loathe you. This isn't how the Lord wants me to act. God is clothed in splendor and majesty and he wants me to clothe myself in humility. And I want to show my children Christ. I want them to love the one I love. I want my husband to see Christ in me. And one of the ways of living out the gospel is asking for forgiveness.

When we ask someone to forgive us, it can melt a hard heart. It can save marriages and friendships. It can draw people closer together. Sometimes it doesn't work that way. You can ask and the person rejects it and that is difficult. However, God calls us to obey and trust Him even if it doesn't turn out the way we want. The point is we need to do what God has called us to do.

Friends, don't justify your sin but repent and go to the person quickly even if it is a child.

I love what Micah says. "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you. But to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

It is simple but we can make it hard.

A friend sent me this verse over the weekend.

"One thing I have asked of the LORD. that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. Psalm 27:4

This is a great thought. If we have this heart attitude, all else will follow. If we are in His word and gazing on His beauty, it won't be difficult to ask for forgiveness. We are living out what we believe.

It doesn't matter what stage of life we are in so I pray that we will be women that desire to walk humbly with our Lord.