Where am I hurt? - The somewhat different Advent Calender VIII ...

Saturday, Dec 8, 2012. Advent is a time of preparation for the Lord. As a part of this preparation we look into the burdens, which we carry in our daily life. But what are these burdens? Are they clear to us?

Injuries and Wounds …

Often, we try to not remember parts of our life. Where ever we have been wounded, where someone has hurt us, we try to stay away from it. Sometimes, these things pop up here or there in our dreams, and in particular reaction patterns. We would like to avoid being confronted with it again … but we cannot completely avoid things.

I sometimes had an interesting experience. When I was ill, lying in my bed with a headache or being quite sick, I suddenly remember particular times of my past. I suddenly remember situations, where I was hurt by someone. Or I remember situations where I was the cause of wounds. Isn't it interesting, that being ill sometimes seems to pave a way into our unconscious memories?

It would be good to clarify our relationship towards our wounds. It would be good to reconcile our difficult past as well - the wounds which we received, and the wounds which we have caused. But how does that work? What is the way to go here?

Enter the Kingdom of Forgiveness …

Jesus invites us to enter his kingdom, the kingdom of forgiveness. He invites us to receive power to forgive. He invites us into reconciliation, the great reconciliation project which God started in him. He invites us to receive forgiveness for all we have done, and to forgive ourselves. He wants us to be part of his forgiveness, which he bought at the cross of Calvary.

God! I do not know how exactly I can forgive. I do not know the way. But I know that you have the power to forgive, and you can take me into this power, into your stream of forgiveness. Let me forgive everyone, who has wounded me. Let me forgive, one by one, telling their names. Also, let me forgive those who are unknown to me, who I do not remember clearly! Come with your Holy Spirit and help me to be part of your kingdom of forgiveness.

Jesus took forgiveness quite serious. He told many people: your sins are forgiven. He told them, even if they came with different demands. And he told his disciples, that he want them to forgive. You cannot be with him, if you refuse to become a part of his forgiveness! So this is an important preparation step, very important, indeed. (Roland Potthast) ... more texts