Friends in Christ

Home

Weekly Messages About Us Spiritual Practice Handouts
Facebook logo Friends in Christ on Facebook

Site Map

Contact Us

PicoSearch


Search this site



Friends in Christ Weekly Message
October 12, 2000

Justice didn't heal me. Forgiveness did.
Debbie Morris

Debbie Morris and her boyfriend were kidnapped by two men. She was raped, and her boyfriend was stabbed, burned and shot, but survived. These same men brutally murdered another young woman. One of the criminals, Robert Lee Willie, became widely known through the book by Sister Helen Prejean, Dead Man Walking, later turned into a movie. Debbie has written her own book, Forgiving the Dead Man Walking.

Not surprisingly, this horrible experience scarred the 16 year old Debbie, and her life was a mess for several years. The night before Willie's execution, Debbie realized his death would not end the torment that wracked her life.

That night, Debbie turned to God and prayed that her burden of hate and anger would be taken away. She also prayed for Willie. This first step of forgiveness began a process of healing for Debbie.

Debbie went public with her story two years ago to show "the kinds of evil and kinds of pain that Jesus can heal." The truth of God's grace and Christ's healing power is something we all need to learn, whether or not we ever face anything so horrible as Debbie endured.

Forgiveness is not fundamentally about someone who has wronged us. It is about cleansing ourselves of anger and hatred that separate us from God and spoil our lives.

True forgiveness does make practical sense, but we can not do it on our own, certainly in a circumstance as horrible as Debbie's. We need to bring our hurt to God, and let God's grace work to free ourselves from its bondage.

Do you have some hurt, whether big or small, that eats at you? Bring it to God in prayer, and open yourself up for God's grace and healing.

Bill Samuel

©2000 Friends in Christ, Inc.

Previous Message

Go to previous message
Chronological list of messages

List of messages by scriptural references
Next Message

Go to next message

Friends in Christ
11445 Neelsville Church Road
Germantown, MD 20876-4145
E-mail fic@friendsinchrist.net

br>
Home . Weekly Message . Bible Study groups . Site Map
Values . Who We Are . What People Say About Us
Open Worship . Using the Bible. Silence
Jesus Prayer . St. Patrick's Breastplate
Contact Us . Support Us

Google
 
Web www.friendsinchrist.net
Document last modified on Saturday, 27-Dec-2003 09:46:01 EST