Today’s scripture: Genesis 32:6; Genesis 33:1-4, 12-15 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Cheryl Stonestreet):
I do not have any sisters, but I had a girlfriend while growing up, and Angela (not her real name) and I were inseparable. Wherever we went people would ask if we were sisters. We looked alike, and our mannerisms had become similar. We ran around together for many years and graduated from high school together. For the longest time I wished we had been sisters.
Like all relationships, we both did things that hurt each other’s feelings. We apologized and forgave, and then went on with our friendship. But, later in life things changed between us. Somehow our friendship went from healthy to dysfunctional, and then it became toxic. One of the most excruciating decisions in my lifetime was to let Angela go. I came to that conclusion after, in a very deep way that only someone who is close to you can do, Angela betrayed a sacred trust. She never apologized, nor has she ever shown any signs of contrition. I carried anger and pain around for a long time because of that.
Eventually, I had to forgive Angela. I know it’s the Christian thing to do, but this was for my own sake. That anger and pain had become a self-destructive resentment. It was a resentment that stood in the way of my relationships with other people, and with God. Living in that pain and anger, I could not reach the still place of my soul where I connect with God.
But how do you forgive someone who will only harm you again?
What I learned was forgiving someone doesn’t mean I make myself vulnerable to certain re-injury. Forgiveness did not mean that I needed to let Angela back in my life to wreak havoc again. What it means is that I have accepted people and circumstances as they are, and I trust that God has a higher plan for us all. Forgiveness is a gift we give to ourselves.
Jacob and Esau were twin brothers who had a toxic relationship. They were pitted against each other from birth. Jacob stole Esau’s birthright and his father’s blessing. It was a deep and remarkable harm. In today’s passage we see Esau embracing Jacob upon his return after years of absence, but they never became the close allies that one would think twin brothers would be. Esau lived on to become a powerful and prosperous man. Jacob went on to fulfill his own destiny — away from Esau. Doubtless both brothers were able to do this through forgiveness.
Thought for the day: Am I carrying around unnecessary pain and anger toward someone who has harmed me? Have I have accepted people and circumstances as they are, and do I trust God has a higher plan for us all?
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