Teach Us to Pray Pt. 6

by Brad Spangler

Pardon- And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

Louis Zamperini, a WW2 Veteran, has his POW experience detailed in his biography Unbroken. After his bomber went down at sea, he was stranded in a raft with three other men for 44 days. While stranded, he had to fight off sharks and dodge bullets from Japanese fighter planes. Finally, he was captured by Japan and made a prisoner of war.

During the next two years, he was tortured relentlessly, humiliated, beaten daily, and almost starved to death. He was particularly tortured by one guard famously called “the Bird.” When Louis was finally released and sent home, he began to have tormenting dreams of this man every night. Eventually filled with hatred, Louis thought the only way to stop this inner torture was to return to Japan and kill the Bird.

Fortunately, before he could go searching, he went to a Billy Graham revival meeting in Los Angeles, California, and gave his life to Jesus. Immediately God showed him he was not alone during his time as a POW, and the hatred for his captures vanished. The gospel of Jesus is not just a beautiful story. It is also the power of God to transform those who believe it.

The following is a quote from Louis, “The one who forgives never brings up the past to that person’s face. When you forgive, it’s like it never happened. True forgiveness is complete and total.” 

This is, of course, an extreme example of redemption and forgiveness. Most of us will never go through an experience like Louis’s. Still, all of us will, at one time or another, be faced with the question, “Should I forgive this person?” If we aren’t careful, we can let our desire for justice slip into a more sinister longing for vengeance. 

In this part of Jesus’ prayer, He invites His disciples into a practice of daily examination. David writes in Psalm 139:23-24,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

When we recognize that there is unforgiveness in our heart towards someone else, it’s imperative to remember that as long as we decide to hold on to it, we are spiritually and emotionally keeping ourselves in bondage to the hurt and pain. The only way for us to walk through the doors of freedom is through the words, “Father, I forgive them.” For some, this might be a daily declaration in faith, as their feelings and emotions take time to process that it’s ok to release this pain. For others, it might be an instantaneous release. 

No matter where you find yourself on the spectrum, please know that there is hope for you to be whole again. Forgiving someone does not mean that you condone their actions. It simply means that you are releasing them from their debt, just as God in Christ Jesus released you from your debt. 

Here are some questions for reflection. Am I holding onto a grudge or unforgiveness? Do I trust that God is able to heal my hurts if I forgive? What would my life look like if I chose to forgive this person?