I've been busy the last few days preparing for a hunting trip in the lower part of South Carolina. My excitement level is still very high even though I've had to do a great deal of things I do not enjoy in order to prepare for the hunt. I've had to locate hunting gear. I've had to pack my clothes. I've had to clean my firearms and locate ammunition. I've had to download directions and tie up many lose ends and on and on and on.... When I get to the hunting location, I'll sleep on a thin camper matress. I'll wake up much earlier than normal. I'll endure the elements and many inconveniences and I'll do all of these things in the hope of bagging my game - which may or may not even show up. I go through a great deal of preparation for something that may never even materialize. That is what got me thinking about forgiveness and the problem of pain and suffering.
Many Christian people go through life in similiar fashion to my hunting preparation over the last few days. They spend endless hours fretting over something that happened that they can do nothing about or they spend endless hours expecting the worse case scenario that may never even materialize. The reality of our existence is that pain and suffering are a part of it. We simply can't ignore that or make it disappear, but when it comes to pain and suffering as related to our relationships, we most certainly can do something about that. We can forgive those who have wronged us or seek the forgiveness of those we have wronged. We can endeavor to live in such a way as to minimize the wrong we do and some of the wrong we receive. We can prepare to forgive and receive forgiveness.
In order to become skilled at this disappearing art, we need to practice a few things. We need to practice asking God to forgive us for the wrongs we've committed. We need to offer forgiveness, quickly, to those who wrong us. We need to learn what it means to follow Jesus and then we need to follow him. Let me encourage you to prepare to forgive and let me encourage you to get in the field and realize what God has for us - peace with Himself and others.