God Forgives And He Says “Forgive!”

The title of this blog represents the last line of the theme song for the module featuring “Forgiveness.” It’s a song we sang many times during the recent residential Forgiveness Module VOICE Training One as we also learned the actions. The aim of the training was to prepare the participants to teach this module to children, especially in schools, where many have been abused and hurt by adults, which has resulted in deep bitterness.

However, several of the participants gave testimony that they first had to deal with their own unforgiving spirit before they could teach others. The most dramatic testimony came from a 43 year old English Teacher from northern Uganda. Very soon after arriving at the training, he received a phone call informing him of a family crisis involving his teen daughter. In the darkness of night, he went outside to voice his anger with bitter tears. As only God could do, our VOICE worker’s small child was agitated and so he took the child out for a walk…only to find this distraught man pouring out his feelings. Chris offered to help and as they talked the situation through, he gave the burden to the Lord. By God’s grace he was able to forgive and release all of that bitterness. Twice during the training he testified to the huge difference forgiveness made. He likened unforgiveness to holding the weight of a building on his head and with forgiveness came the relief of that weight! Both time he stated, “This Training was especially for me, instead of going back so bitter and taking someone to court, I have forgiven and I am free!” Another participant had been unjustly treated by family members a couple of days before the training and vowed to never do anything else with the family. He, too, made a U turn by God’s grace. Yet another female participant left the training early to welcome back a wayward daughter with whom she had lost contact since last year. Praise God that He does indeed forgive and gives the strength to obey His command to also forgive.