I met a man who was so held captive by his hate and unforgiveness that you could see it in his demeanor. His state of mind was darkened by hate for the many offenders in his life, especially his dad who was very abusive. Only forgiveness can free an individual’s soul. Forgiveness can only be given if one has received it themselves through Jesus Christ; otherwise it is a cheap substitute for what’s real. The sad thing is that this type of hate leads people to go deeper into darkness and death. Wounded people wound people.
Over the years this man had physically hurt others as he acted out his rage. He even tried to obtain a book about the goddess of death as a type of bible. It wasn’t permitted by the Jail. He talked to a man in his housing unit who had a relationship with the Lord Jesus and chose to have me bring him a Bible to read instead.
I knew God was at work so I scheduled a meeting with him. He told me of multiple times when he was deeply wounded. After acknowledging these wounds he was ready to heal. You see, the Bible states, “Confess your sins one to another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). I shared with him that to forgive, one must be forgiven.
He had spent many years in prison sharpening his attitudes of hate. At the same time he was drawn to a Bible study teacher in his housing unit. Christian had watched his life change dramatically, so he began to attend. From this new information I knew God had been working to sow seeds in his life. It was time to share the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, and His atoning work on the cross.
It’s so hard to let go of what has held us for so long. It’s as though hate becomes an identity. Unforgiveness, holding grudges, and hating people are so exhausting. No wonder Jesus said, “Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Christian was finally ready to surrender his life to Christ. The atmosphere in the room changed, and so did his attitude. When he prayed and surrendered his heart to Jesus Christ his brand new life began. Totally forgiven, he can now forgive his enemies and be set free! PTL!
Just a few short months later Christian was found guilty of immigration violations and sent back to Mexico. Now he has a mission in his heart to share the gospel with those he once hated.