The world can be a tough place. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Jesus does not promise us freedom from trouble, but peace in the midst of it.
This trouble often comes in the form of hurtful people. There will always be people who hurt us with their words and actions and we are unable to change that. No matter how influential, rich, or kind you are, you will still be prone to hurt. No matter how closely you live to Christ or how much you pray for and give to others, people will do things to cause you harm. There is no escape. But through Christ there can be peace. This peace is found when we imitate Christ by forgiving others. We can do nothing to change their cruelty, but we can choose to do what is right, despite their actions.
One of the greatest examples of forgiveness in all of scripture is found in Luke 23:34. Today, we will be studying a prayer that Jesus said on the Cross and hopefully learn to forgive like He does.