Have you ever been hurt by someone who you believed loved you so you waited or anticipated for them to apologize for their actions but the apology never came? However, it made the pain even worse and you were unable to forgive them. I mean how hard could it be to just say two words: I’m sorry. Perhaps, they did not know their words or actions would have such an impact on you or were unaware they caused any pain at all. It’s funny. The story of Esau and Jacob, in the book of Genesis, is a testament of what happens when someone does you wrong without apologizing.
Following Abraham’s death, Isaac’s wife Rebekah gave birth to two sons who would represent two nations but the elder (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). Jacob found favor with Rebekah; however, Isaac loved Esau better than Jacob and was pleased with his bold, courageous spirit manifested in hunting wild beasts. One day, Esau comes home hungry, demanding to be fed, and agrees to give Jacob his birth rights in exchange for a bowl of soup.
As Isaac comes to his final days, he instructs Esau to catch some game and prepare him a meal so that he may give the elder son his blessing. While Esau goes hunting, Rebekah helps Jacob deceive his father, preparing a separate meal and disguising the younger son with hairy arms and Esau’s clothing. When Jacob presents his father with the meal, Isaac proceeds to bless Jacob, promising him the inheritance of God’s covenant than his brother. Later, Esau returns to discover the deception, but it is too late. Isaac, though distressed, tells Esau that he cannot repeal the stolen blessing. When Esau found that his blessing had been given to Jacob, he threatened to kill his brother, and Jacob immediately fled in fear of his brother.
What Jacob did would merit some to kill him but Esau did no such thing. As a matter of fact, Jacob returns to Israel after 20 years of exile and Esau saw him afar off. He ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. Though his brother hurt him, forgiveness touched his heart and overlapped the pain to the point where an apology or revenge was not worth it.
So, what happens if an apology just isn’t enough? You want vengeance or words to be exchanged but what will this resolve? I remember as a teenager I hated my dad. Sad, because I never thought I could hate anyone. I didn’t want him to apologize for his absence but I wanted to give me back those experiences when he could have taken me to the park but chose to take care of his other family instead or the moments he could have said “I love you” but chose to tear me down. No, an apology wasn’t enough for me but one night as I lay in my room praying I asked God to clean my heart and he asked me to forgive. “Forgive what” I asked and he said to forgive my dad even though an apology may not come.
Some people allow the pain of what they did or said to stagnant them. They spend years stuck in the same place and waiting for change. They are unable to move forward with their lives and substitute the pain with everything that is comfortable for a season. Your pain is never invisible to the Creator which is why He says to “Cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you” because even if they never say, “I’m sorry”, God is able to give you a peace that passes all understanding and joy that’s unspeakable.
The post Waiting for an Apology By Sandra Charite appeared first on Christ Centered Home Magazine.
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