Tonight I decided to watch the movie Amish Grace. It is one I have wanted to see for a very long time. I was able to start watching it once a few months ago; however, I didn't get very far, but tonight I have been able to watch it.
In the beginning of the movie, a man enters into an Amish school building. He releases all males, but holds captive the females. In shoots 10 girls. The man then kills himself after shooting the 10 girls. The message behind this movie so far is the need for forgiveness. The father of one of the girls who died went to the house of the wife whose husband shot the girls and killed himself. Upon this visit, the man tells the wife that he forgives her husband. He recognizes that she is grieving as well.
The mother of Mary Beth, one of the girls who were killed, struggles to forgive. She cannot forgive this man. She does not desire to forgive this man. Her husband expresses the need to forgive her. Her husband reminds her that commands we forgive. Just as it says in the Our Father, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. God commands forgiveness. We must forgive those who have harmed us, no matter how they hurt us.
In December, I met a woman who forgave the man who killed her son. Her son was in a pre-med program. He was taking some summer classes. The 2 men who killed her son were high and wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone. Therefore, they picked a random house and eventually shot these two men who died a sufferable, awful death. Yet the mother was able to forgive the men who killed her son because she knew God commanded it!
Tonight I wish to encourage you all to forgive. It is in forgiveness that we are set free. When we hold onto the hurt we have endured, we are chained down. We are held back. We cannot fully move to the next step of our lives until we forgive the person who hurt us. We must choose forgiveness. We must choose love. Not only does God call us to forgive, he calls us to love. He calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. We can only love when we forgive. Therefore, choose love, choose forgiveness!
Lord Jesus, give us the grace to forgive those who have hurt us. Help us to break the chains that hold us back. Help us as we grow and take the next step in our lives. Be our strength, O Lord, be our stronghold, our rock on which we stand firm. Amen!
God bless!
Keep praying!
Jesus, we trust in you!
In the love of Jesus & Mary,
Amber
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