Remove any obstacles to Love

Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an overflowing stream.

It’s not that we can clear every rock from our own river bed. That state will never exist within us this side of the grave. Further, it is only pebbles or grains of sand that we can remove with our own power. The Spirit at work in us for our transformation - to set us free and bring us into our wholeness - does most of the work. We participate in her work.

Our efforts matter. They matter profoundly. When we perceive that something within our inner life is keeping us from love and peace and joy, then there are efforts and practices and intentions we can make on Love’s behalf. We do these acts and movements of our souls, asking for God to help us as we seek to walk in the ways of Christ. We pray to be guided by the Spirit in every effort we undertake.

So, forgiveness.

It is clear that we are to forgive. The scriptures list no exceptions, no acceptable justifications for holding onto our anger and our judgments and our bitterness. There is no legal brief which we can file with the Holy One to allow us to hold onto the sharp edges of our grievances in the name of self-righteousness.

We need to ask God to send Living Water to wear away at the boulder of taut anger and rigid certitude within us if we are to forgive any kind of serious wrongdoing against us. Even little slights can fester within us and add so much silt and sludge into our stream that the water becomes turgid and stale.

Search me and know me, O God. Teach me if there is any hurtful way within me. Show me what you would have me forgive, so I am free to experience the joy and peace of Love’s Eternal Flow.

The first step is to admit we have a problem. The first step is to say yes, I need to forgive what has been done to me. Perhaps I was deeply wounded. Perhaps someone's thoughtlessness caused me difficulty. Perhaps something I have done has made my life so very hard, and I cannot forgive myself.

Whatever binds us still, may the Spirit bring it to mind so that we can be set free.