Hi, I am Sue. I look after the life groups at Hope Church.
I have been a Christian for over 40 years, and I could share many
testimonies of God working in my life. But I would just like to share one
right now of how he taught me about forgiveness.
Now, I had been married for 15 years, and just the week before Christmas,
my husband up and walked out, left me for another woman and I had three
young children under 12, a mortgage and a car payment. I was pretty
guttered. I had lots of church family and friends that helped me during that
time, but I became very much a bitter woman. I wanted revenge. I rejoiced
in stories I heard about things not working out for my ex.
But then it was Easter and as I was driving to church and thinking over the
story of Jesus hanging on the cross, He said, Father, forgive them for they
know, not what they do. He forgave those people that were torturing him.
And I suddenly realised that what had happened to me was nothing
compared to what was happening to Jesus at that time.
I knew then in my heart that I had to forgive him. I forgave my ex and his
new partner. I did not say it out loud. They did not need to hear my voice.
The change was between me and I. I became free. Jesus just does it. That
is not rational. That is Jesus. Forgive and you will have new life. Anything
that you have got hanging over your head. Any bitterness in the past?
Forgive, just like Jesus showed us.