I’ve mistaken my past zeal for “spirituality”.
I knew the RIGHT way and the RIGHT word and I had the RIGHT knowledge and the RIGHT answer to not only my problems, but also yours.
I looked at you and saw a mistake, a sad case, and I wrote you off in my book. I would listen TO SPEAK OVER YOU, not to understand you. I rolled my eyes and placed myself above you. I spoke evil of you and had opinions of you and would join myself with others who felt and thought the same.
Than worst of it all, I tagged “God” on my doings. I used him as my reason, my excuse, to hurt you over and over and over again.
I see now that I wasn’t too far away from re-living the actions of those who used Gods name to burn down ‘the witches’ and ‘the barbarians’. I wasn’t far off from those who killed in God’s name. I wasn’t far off from those who separated and segregated and diminished and discriminated.
It hurts to write those words, but it’s true. I used Gods name to practice my own sort of evil. Maybe I never whipped or stoned or used a gun, but I used my words, and the bible says that it is in words which hold the power of life and death. And I spoke death. Ouch.
So, here is the first step to my apology: I am sorry.
I am sorry for not listening to you.
I am sorry for judging you and labeling you as anything other than who God has beautifully made you to be.
I am sorry for giving up on you and telling you “YOU JUST NEED TO BELIEVE GOD’S WORD”
I am sorry for gossiping about you.
I’m sorry for acting like a “know it all”
I’m sorry for shoving my relationship with God down your throat.
I am sorry for using the perfect and healing word of God as a weapon and a tool of destruction.
I am sorry for making you feel less than you are.
I am sorry for thinking I am better than you.
I am sorry for freely voicing my opinion and than using God to make it a fact.
I am sorry for not seeing you.
I am sorry for making an open display of all your sins, and than turning around and covering mine.
I am sorry for not opening up my life and allowing you in.
I am sorry for not giving my resources or time when I had plenty, in your time of need.
I’m sorry for blowing you off because you visibly or audibly shared your different faith.
I’m sorry that when you were handed a devasting event that caused the biggest pain you’ve ever had in your entire life, that I made the pain worse by my hurtful, hurtful words and actions.
Forgive me. Please oh please, forgive me. Not only for you, but for me. Allow me to try again, allow me to accurately represent Jesus and what he was about.
Will you stay with me?
Please believe me when I say that the bible can be used for healing and restoration of relationship. The bible can be used for displaying the kindness and goodness of God. The bible can be used to speak truth into our lives and show us we are worth something, enough for God to sacrifice his only son. The bible can be used for restoring lost faith and to those who have given up on the whole “Christian Thing”, all is not lost. Let God do the work in your heart, not me. Just give him another try.
Let me represent Jesus to you, in the only way I know how, by relying on Him and the Holy Spirit. I do not promise I will not fail. Jesus never failed. He was ALWAYS love, only used his words in love, ONLY healed, ONLY restored, ONLY gave hope.
God, I pray for those who I have hurt. I pray for those who have been hurt by your children. God, please help them see your goodness in spite of us. Please help them see how much they are loved. Show them the more than abundant life you have promised for them. Show them how good it feels to walk in your ways. Heal them, restore them, protect them.
In Jesus, who died and rose again for our justification and redemption, amen.
