Depths Of The Ocean

On the last day Brain and I were on Prince Edward Island, there was a ominous storm caused by Hurricane Maria. With the wind blowing against my face and hair, the sky dark and unsettling, and the turbulent waves crashing against the shores, I thought about the verse in Micah.

"Once again You will have compassion on us.

You will trample our sins under Your feet and

throw them into the depths of the ocean."

Micah 7:19

God hates sin. It angers Him. As the fierce wind blows, the ocean waters rage, but if we repent of our sins, the tempestuous waves will calm. The storm will cease because God lovingly forgives. The Bible says that God is compassionate; so when we come to Him, acknowledge our sins, ask for forgiveness, and turn away from evil, God tramples our sins under His feet and throws them into the depths of the ocean. We are then made clean again. The clouds disperse, the winds die down, and the ocean again becomes a brilliant blue.

Forgiveness brings back the joy in our lives and the freedom to live life without guilt and shame.

And just as God has forgiven us, we are to forgive others, even when a person has hurt us so deeply that the pain can be unbearable. Otherwise, unforgiveness will lead to depression, sickness, or suicidal thoughts.

When we become Jesus' followers, the Spirit of God comes to reside in us, giving us the power to forgive those who have caused the deepest of hurts. Forgiveness doesn't usually come automatically for these deep-rooted hurts. It is usually a process that takes some time. However, with God in us, we can forgive those who have caused us such pain and heartache, because forgiveness is part of the character of God.

Most times those who have unbelievably hurt us will never apologize, but we can still forgive and go on. And if the opportunity arises, let the person who has terribly hurt you know that you forgive. If you can, do so  by your actions more so than your words.

The time I remember being the most hurt by someone was when I was an older teenager.  I had ended the distressing relationship with this person a fews weeks prior, only to be hurt again, but far worse than ever before. Within just minutes of time, my self-worth and trust was ravaged. I was immediately thrown into a pit and it took some time to for me to climb back out. I had to forgive.

The one thing I have regretted was not having the spiritual maturity to let the person who hurt me so deeply know that I forgave. A few years after the incident, I saw that person twice and each time the person turned away and couldn't  look at me. I should have set the person free by offering my forgiveness, but I didn't.

Just as God has trampled yours sins of repentance under His feet and has thrown them into the depths of the ocean, do the same with the sins of others.