Spiritual Training Cycle: Submission (wk. 7/13)
My family takes a particular sense of pride in being a “hiking family.” Every vacation, influenced by our social media feeds or favorite YouTube explorers, leads us to tour a city and hike its trails. We have our boots, canteens (not hiking poles, because we are real hikers), and of course, our summit sandwiches for when we reach the top at noonday.
On one particular hike through Taos, New Mexico, what seemed like a simple 5-mile trail humbled us quickly. We faced a steep 1,300 ft elevation gain on an 8,000 ft mountain. Our sandwiches were pleading to be eaten before the sun wasted them away.
Our saving grace was the numerous switchbacks on the trail. If you aren’t familiar, switchbacks are zig-zagging paths along the side of steep terrain. Think of the brim of a hat, but slowly trailing up. The alternative would be to cut straight up the mountain, like climbing the steep stairs of a football stadium bleachers.
Forgiveness is a lot like switchbacks. While switchbacks make for a longer trail, they lead to an easier hike. Similarly, forgiveness can seem like an impossible climb, but taking the longer, more deliberate path is always best for starting the process. Forgiveness manifests in many ways. It can be something we extend or deny to others. It can be how we receive it. And it also includes the forgiveness we have for ourselves. Each can feel like a long, winding trail.
Jesus paints a beautiful picture of this concept through the parable of the Prodigal Son. The story offers a perspective on how God sees and rescues us based on our decisions and His forgiveness, which is an expression of His heart for us. In the story, one son seeks forgiveness after realizing his wrongs, while the other expects forgiveness for his good deeds.
The father in the story shatters both false perceptions. The younger son needn’t have worried about losing his father's love. The older son never needed to earn his father's love. By telling this parable, Jesus addresses both the sinner who knows they are far from God and the self-righteous who think they are close to God. In God’s eyes, neither is more deserving of forgiveness. There's no amount of wrong that can out-sin God's grace, and no amount of good that can make you more accepting of it.
In both instances, we attempt to cut straight up the mountain, relying on our own strength to reach the top. Sometimes, the path we choose involves painful, self-inflicted decisions that cut us off from relationships or leave lasting consequences. Other times, we focus on seemingly good things, like our careers, spiritual devotion, or fitness achievement, believing these things can earn our forgiveness for the good we do.
Apart from God, we criticize ourselves to feel a false sense of honor, hold on to every bit of shame that our actions cause, or we dish out the same hurt that was done to us by repeating a toxic cycle. When we accept the forgiveness of God, He brings us into His doors. He sets a table for us. He reminds us of our identity as his beloved children. We start the process of healing.
True forgiveness can only come from God. It's consistent, trustworthy, and merciful. Real forgiveness is like the Father in the parable who sees his son from a far distance and collides into him with arms wide open eager to see him back home again. Rather than dealing with the damage we have caused (or fell victim too) alone, we can now settle the debt that we owe in light of knowing God's forgiveness that paid it for us.
For many, taking this path will take a long time to accept. Rather than going the long way, we will attempt to make our own path forward. Before we have made our decision, be reminded of the love of God that is waiting for you to come home. Searching for you. Waiting past the front yard in anticipation of your arrival. When it might seem that we are far from God, He is ever drawing closer to us. His forgiveness is the invitation to come home.
Questions for Reflection:
Why do some things take longer to forgive than others?
What are some “short cuts” people use to try and earn forgiveness?
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