Devotion – May, 12.
Good morning!!
Respect your father and your mother, so that you may live a long time in the land that I am giving you.
Exodus 20, 12
All parents make mistakes. But since parents shape our whole life, it may be that they don’t only gave us life, but are also responsible for many difficulties in our lives. The memories of childhood and the inequities of parents are often a heavy burden! But Jesus also wants to liberate us from them and wants to take this burden away.
It is important that we generally forgive our parents anything. Whether it is real guilt or we just feel this way: We decide to forgive our parents. And always when we remember one thing, we do not want "rolling around in these bad memories", but confess immediately: I have forgiven them and do no longer want to deal with it and let me pull through these worries and problems! The more I think about my parents, the more little cross my mind, for which I am grateful. According to forgiveness God made me seeing many small and large things, for which I am grateful to my parents. And this I call out loud; – My Lord in prayer, children and siblings, and if the parents were still alive, even them. A grateful heart is a happy heart! It frees me from the bitterness of the previous years!
I gain an insight into how my parents have lived. How they grew up and what difficulties they had and why they have become the way they are. I’m developing an understanding and comprehension of their decisions and their lifestyle. More and more I see them as a counterpart, as a partner, and less as "parents," as a superior instance.
I can accept my parents, just as they are. I am grateful for the good things they have given me. I can understand them and am able to comprehend their lives. I can forgive them with all my heart. Yes, I can love my parents and am grateful for them!
Thank you, Father in heaven! It is nice to have such a father! And I thank You for my father and for my mother. Thank You that you have taken my bitterness so that I can live happy and free! Yes, You really make me free!