Sin and forgiveness

Maybe I had a bit of a spiritual epiphany this week. This is about forgiveness, which as they always say is easier than it sounds. I feel recently like I have been carrying deep hurts for the way that some church members have treated Mark and myself. There is one particular 'offender' whom his own family members have given up on, claiming he is too hurt and hardened to change. Like many others in the world, his personality is driven to being A-type and controlling. There have been a couple of hurtful things said or done which I have struggled to release.

A few weeks ago our small group began a study of my favorite book, Compassion, by Henri Nouwen and others. We explored the beauty of God as Immanuel, God-With-Us. We delved into the reality of God becoming sin for us so that sin could be redeemed. We talked about God becoming particular acts of sin - God becoming the sin of rape, or abuse - huge sins that create life-altering wounds. It was a powerful lesson because God-With-Us means that God became that offense so that victim and offender can be restored to God. It was powerful because we have in our group people who have faced those evils.

I never have. But, this week, I believe God led me to see that the cutting words of even a brother in Christ are not the 'personality flaws' that I had previous labeled them as. No, those hurtful things are sin. And because they are sin, forgiveness is easier for me. Because I believe in a God who stooped so low to become sin so that I, and my brother in Christ, can be redeemed from the effects of sin - not just the eternal but the very emotional pain I feel, and, yes, even the broken relationship between us that is also sin.

I don't label the 'sin' because I feel that I am the judge. Really, I think proper perspective has been a healing balm for me. Does this make sense?