Using the “F” Word

The “F” word. There’s something different about that word that’s different from other words. It’s powerful. When you use it flippantly it doesn’t mean much. But when you use it on purpose, it’s a powerful force to be reckoned with as far as words go. Using the “F” word will actually change the course of your life. Some people use it and some people don’t. But after using the “F” word you’ll ALWAYS feel better. I like to use it as soon as somebody does something to me that frustrates me or makes me mad. I actually used the “F” word this morning and I’m not ashamed of it, I don’t care who knows either. Now before you start using the “F” word you have to understand that there’s 2 ways to use it. Intentionally and unintentionally. If you use it unintentionally you’re just wasting your breath. But if you think it through and use it intentionally you’ll feel the power of it. Some people just let it slip out at the drop of a hat but if you really think it through before you let it roll off your tongue you’ll effect everybody around you. Actually if you don’t use the “F” word I’ll go as far as saying you’re a fool. That’s right, I said it... a fool. And I’ll take it one step farther... if you don’t use the “F” word, from what I can see, you’e probably going to Hell. For real...

Oh, wait a minute... you thought I meant the other “F” word. The one that Richard Pryor would use so frequently in his stand-up routines (I just dated myself didn’t I?) that you’d lose count if you were trying to keep track or the “F” word that if you have one of those “curse free” TV things, it would remove 3/4 of the movie Goodfellows. Sorry, I guess I should have been more clear. The “F” word I’m talking about is the word “Forgiveness.” It’s a powerful word that will literally change the course of your life, it will effect your health, it will allow you to sleep better and most importantly it will determine what kind of relationship you have with God. It’s a word that’s so important to God that He said, if we didn’t forgive others He wouldn’t forgive us (Matthew 6:14, Mark 11:25). In Matthew 18 Jesus told this parable about this guy who didn’t forgive someone even though he had been forgiven much. Read it, it didn’t end well for that guy. The kicker is at the end of the parable when Jesus tells us that the Heavenly Father will do the same thing to every one of us if we don’t forgive our brothers from our heart (v35). That’s why I can say with no hesitation that if we don’t use the “F” word and forgive, we’re fools!

But what about when somebody does something to you and you’re right and they’re wrong? I mean, there’s no doubt about it... what they did to you is wrong-sinful-spiteful-hurtful and any other “ful” word you want to use. You’re in the right, they’re totally in the wrong... what then? Don’t you have the right not to forgive? The answer is no. We have no right to hold un-forgiveness toward anyone for anything. God has freely forgiven us for every evil/sinful thing we’ve done- past, present and future so we have no right to not forgive someone else. It doesn’t matter how bad that thing was... we’ve got to forgive.

The reason I’m writing about this today is because for me, this is a real thing. Today I had to forgive. I can’t be specific about the situation, but we received another evil report from the States that was very frustrating and intentionally hurtful. Some times people (even brothers/sisters in Christ) are going to do things that hurt us. Whether it’s intentional or not, people “will” hurt us. And, when (you notice how I said, “when” and not “if?”... pretty clever, huh?)... when it happens, we have a decision to make. Either we forgive them or we choose not to. It’s totally our choice. By forgiving we walk in freedom. By not forgiving we actually put ourselves in bondage to that person. They win (or technically the devil wins because we’re not in a fight against flesh and blood... Eph. 6:12). By forgiving you’re actually releasing yourself from bondage and that’s what Me and MJ chose today. We’re gonna forgive the way God forgave us... with no strings attached. Even though we don’t feel like it, we’re doing it. We literally just finished sitting at our kitchen table, holding hands, praying and calling out the names of the people that sinned against us and forgave them audibly. Not in our minds or just in our hearts, but verbally-out loud. Man, what a freeing thing. To be in-the-right and have something happen to you and then to release it/them with no strings attached. It’s the way to go, for sure. We’re not even going to use “creative forgiveness” on them. You know what that is, right? No? OK. I’ll write about that tomorrow then. Because all of us are tempted to use it (creative forgiveness) and you probably don’t even realize it. So be sure check back tomorrow. Gotta go for now. Have a great day: )

Not Afraid to Use the F” Word,

Jim