Recently, I saw on TV a man who had financed a seriously
dirty campaign against another person. He was asked his feelings now about
his actions which are still being talked about some years later. He said he
regretted nothing, that he’d made his peace with God.
It occurred to me that God wasn't the one he needed to make
his peace with…it was the person who was attacked. In effect, he picked up
mud, threw it at another, and it wound up on his own face…after which
he asked God’s pardon.
It makes no difference if the other party has long since
forgiven and/or forgotten me. As long as I have made no attempt to
right my wrong with the person affected, my wrong stays with me…the
mud clings to my face for all my world to see.
And giving a hundred…a million!…bucks to charity in the
wronged person’s name is not going to clean that mud off my face.
Praying to God about it, telling God how wrong I know
I was, nada…a good start, but no cigar. For God has already forgiven me,
God saw no wrong in me to begin with. That’s God’s job. It’s mine to bring
myself in alignment with His standards. Meaning, I will get the mud
off my face only in proportion to my direct,
sincere atonement…with God’s perfect will as my guide.
For God alone knows all there is to know about the situation.
It may be that to speak to the person wronged would cause more pain…God knows
that. So, to get the mud off, I need to truly open myself to God’s perfect
will…usually by asking a trusted person’s advice, then following it.
God’s hand is in it when all sides come out the winner…when
all concerned are healed…wiped clean as it were.
Thank You.
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