All Eyes on Jesus

Erica Kirk gave the world a glimpse into the heart of God when she publicly forgave her husband’s assassin.

We are the most like Jesus when we forgive those who hurt us the most.

Intoxicated and in tears, my friend Chris called me while suffering another PTSD attack from having witnessed war atrocities years ago in Africa. Utterly horrifying were the things he saw rebel soldiers do to innocent civilians. Twice, Chris attempted to end his life due to the trauma. He told me he wanted to get on a plane, return to Africa and kill the perpetrators.

While I’ve never felt angry enough to kill someone, I have been hurt so deeply that Christ’s command to forgive your enemy seemed utterly impossible at the time. Still, as believers, that is what we are commanded to do.

The apostle Paul was stoned for preaching Jesus is Lord. His attackers were convinced he was dead, so they dragged him out of the city. Miraculously, Paul recovered and returned to the city where he was stoned. Seriously? Who returns to the place where they just tried to kill you? Paul returned because he had forgiven his persecutors. His love for them overcame his fear of them.

As followers of Christ who have been forgiven of every sin, we have no right to withhold forgiveness, no matter how deeply we’ve been hurt.

Hurt people hurt people. Thanks to Jesus, I no longer identify as a hurt person, but as a healed person! Now it is possible to become an instrument of healing, even to those who hurt me. To do that I must bear their wounds, and forgive them just as Christ forgave me.

It’s humanly impossible to totally forgive someone who physically or verbally hurt you or someone you love. We need a superpower. The Holy Spirit is the superpower who enables us to radically forgive.

I am learning to live by the Spirit and forgive my offenders. I’ve wasted too much time dwelling on past hurts. God wants us to take our eyes off ourselves, and off those who hurt us. He wants all eyes on Jesus, for when we see Him on the cross, we will become like Him—the most forgiving, joyful people on earth!

Good news about my friend Chris. While at a men’s retreat, he had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit. Although he still struggles, he now prays for the rebel soldiers he once wanted to kill. His desire is to return to Africa, not to be an avenger, but to be a blessing.

Chris is learning how to forgive those who have hurt him the most—just as the apostle Paul had to—just as Erica Kirk had to.

Just as we have to.

“Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross” Hebrews 12:2