Forgive our Enemies

I wondered what those who knew me in my youth would find more unlikely, that I would ever write about forgiving enemies or that Hannibal Lector would pen a vegetarian cookbook... definitely the former. 

 And yet here we are. I want to share the deepest insight I have heard on the subject so far. It was described by Fr. Blount, a charismatic American exorcist whose testimonies keep you on the edge of your seat. (His numerous videos on YouTube are well worth a look.) He described what he received from God on the topic of forgiving enemies. The process at first seemed familiar, the decision or act of one’s will regardless of feeling forgiving. 

The next step he described was to ask God to bless your enemy, not grudgingly but lavishly and sincerely with joy in life; and then added that we should pray that they become saints; and also that they are given a higher degree of glory than us in heaven. How God accomplishes this is to be left up to Him. 

The next step though was a much deeper cut. To thank God for whatever happened to you. In his own family story, Fr. Blount had one sister who had been raped, an uncle and cousin shot and murdered and more than a few hard experiences in his own life. And yet this step is essential, without exception. 

The reason given was that whatever wounds we have taken in life from the evil one, or his allies or those around us have been permitted by God; His permissive will. That is not to say that he approves of any evil thing as that would be impossible as He is entirely good and holy. More than that as he described it, the angels of God protect us from the arrows of evil (more than we know) but sometimes He instructs them to let one through, to allow us to be wounded, sometimes severely. This is not to give the enemy of our soul’s victory in his objective, by no means, but whatever wound we take will flatten us, humble us, cause to cry out, bring about change in line with His purposes eventually. And so if a particular wound leads to our sanctification or salvation, would that not be reason to rejoice over it and thank God for transforming what was intended to destroy us, into a gain? It is the hard things in life that produce the most growth. 

 Often our sufferings, at the hands of others, can be misinterpreted as God’s seemingly lack of intervention. He risks the fact that we can be angry, resentful and even hate Him for allowing such things, or doubt His goodness as a consequence, in order to complete His work in us in the longer run; He has the big picture, our eternal good in mind. 

 And if you can make it this far, only one thing remains: to surrender it all to God and receive His healing of our wounded heart.

‘Forgive Them’

‘Not forgiving is letting your enemies live rent free inside your head’ was a phrase I found very irritating the first time I heard it, as I had squatters living in my sparsely furnished penthouse at that time. 

One was an old woman, who in more enlightened eras would certainly have been burned at the stake; the other her submissive insidious side-kick whose treachery would give Judas a run for his money whilst showing rather less regret. The more we trust, the greater the opportunity we give people to harm us and the more deeply their betrayal wounds us. 

To forgive is a must. Its importance to the Christian life is enshrined in its conditional mention in the Our Father, ‘forgive us our sins, as we forgive’. And yet it can be so very difficult. 

Often reconciliation is neither likely or desirable if the other party is toxic or abusive and so it’s a solo journey but with God as our guide and prayer to light the way. Perhaps firstly it’s good to acknowledge that we are hurt, that whatever happened was wicked, and that it does matter. Examining the motives or mindset of others after the events won’t get you very far, nor will letting anger fuel your search for justice or revenge. 

Ultimately the key is to pity those who hurt you, to have compassion for their wretchedness. And it is only then that you can truly forgive and pray for them and for their good (rather than conjuring up a fiendish James Bond style death for them). Perhaps you will see them in heaven.