How can I forgive?

Keeps playing o’er and o’er,

All the wrongs and hurts,

Done to me before.

Will there be no end,

To this deep, painful state?

The more I dwell in this,

The deeper grows my hate!

Suddenly a knock,

Disturbs my angry thought.

A minister of God stands there,

And suddenly I’m caught,

My mind goes back to days,

I went to Sunday school,

And in the presence of this man,

I feel I am a fool.

My memory races back,

And dimly I recall,

Something I heard of as a child,

Of One who died for all.

I asked him to sit down,

He opened up God’s book,

And after years of my neglect,

I finally took a look.

As God’s man shared with me,

God’s wondrous grace to man,

I bowed my head in deep remorse,

And my tears freely ran.

I felt His cleansing power,

Flow mightily through me,

And in the presence of God’s love,

My anger had to flee.

Oh, sweet forgiveness from above,

The hatred I had felt,

Seemed so unclean, unholy, and

My heart began to melt.

The Spirit of the Living God,

Compelled me to forgive,

And as the weight was lifted,

I finally could live,

And peace, sweet peace filled all my thoughts,

New life was born that hour,

Forgiveness is no problem now,

For resurrection power,

Has lifted me above myself.

My heart has been made new.

Oh friend, submit to Christ today.

He’ll do the same for you.

He’ll free you from the suffering,

That unforgiveness brings,

And fill your heart and mind each day,

With precious, holy things.

C. R. Lord © 2007