One of my pastors once told me that I was analytical. I realized that is true as I do tend to analyze things closely and sometimes over think.  As I pondered one day I realized that for me to forgive someone, I needed to be able to justify why they did the wrong.  That didn’t feel right and I believe the Lord addressed it in this entry.   

From the journal .  .  .  . August 1998

 . . . Lord, what if I suspect someone has something against me?  I think Your Word says to go to them and be reconciled. 

Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. NASB1995

That makes sense but Lord, I’m thinking I need to concentrate on the things I may be holding against someone that would cause me to back off from them.

And I Believe God Said:

Confess your hurt to Me.  Confess your disappointment.  Consider the offender.  Was his intention to hurt or disappoint you? 

Look for the good and hope for the good.  Let your mind focus on the good. 

Amos 5:15 Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
Romans 12:9  Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. NASB1995

Your analytical mind wants to tell you that you are rationalizing or justifying why you will love and accept the offender.  Your love needs to be unconditional.   Loving them and looking for good in them are two different things. Indeed, it is easier when you find good to love, but regardless, you are always called to love.

Luke 6:27  “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you NASB1995

Daughter, I want you to love good and hate evil. 

Why would it be wrong to look for the good in people so that you could love that good? 

Phil 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

I am the One who will reward good and I determine ‘how good’ and to what degree their ‘goodness’ or ‘righteousness’ goes.  You just need to look for good and love and accept the people.  I am the One to judge.  There is good in each person,especially in the believer because I am working in them.

Gen 1:27  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. NASB1995
 
Cor 3:17-18  For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.  NLT

After you have confessed to Me that you are hurt or offended, if focusing on the good helps you to forgive and not hold that against them, that is fine.  I’ve told you to do that. I also say forgive seventy times seven.  Keep loving; keep reaching out. 

The Lord calls us to forgive even if there is no justification for the wrong committed.  Jesus, the perfect and sinless One, died on the cross for us sinners.  How could that be justified?

2 Cor 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

I love the idea of looking for the good and it reminds me of an early Amy Grant song called My Father’s Eyes. In one part she sings:

“When people look inside my life, I want to hear them say,
‘She’s got her Father’s eyes
Her Father’s eyes
Eyes that find the good in things
When good is not around
Eyes that find the source of help
When help just can’t be found’ ”