Forgiveness and Grace

Funny, how when you open yourself to your social circle, spilling your random thoughts, God goes right to work on you.
 During the last post,  I shared that I wondered if forgiveness might free another to see themself as God does: loved by grace. I’ve been struggling with forgiveness for someone for a good while. This broken (aren’t we all) person continues to make choices that cause a growing ripple of hurt and destruction; it’s  hard to hold on to hope. When I asked God how I should pray, He whispered, just ask me this: God, shed your grace on my broken person.
So, in obedience, I’ve been doing just that.  It’s a powerful prayer, just as it has been through the decades as we have prayerfully sung America, America, God shed your grace on thee. 
And then comes the waiting and trusting...
Today just happens to be the National Day of Prayer for our country; let’s offer that same prayer for her...and then trust. 

Forgiveness

For some time, a lifelong friend has asked me to pray for a situation that requires forgiveness. Because one party has not been able to forgive another‘s painful choice, the whole has suffered.  I suppose any one of us could make that same request. 
This thought continues to surface as I faithfully pray:
Could the very act of forgiving someone free that person to see himself as God sees him?
Could forgiveness provide a freedom that might have eternal consequence? 
Just a thought.
Enough for me to take inventory of the people in my life who might need my forgiveness to rise above their past. Might my act of grace help them to see God’s incalculable grace?
Just a thought...