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How can it possibly be all right for any person to sin and then to blame someone else for the sin?

How can it possibly be all right for any person to sin against another person causing havoc, chaos, hurt, and heartbreak?

It is not. It never will be all right.

God never said it was all right. This is precisely why He sent His Son to die on the cross. It was to reconcile Him to us, His creation. No sin can enter into His presence. We have to be covered by the blood of Christ so that the sin is atoned and we are reconciled.

That does not make sin all right. It just atones for it.

When a murderer takes an innocent life, premeditated and purposeful, it causes so much pain. It is never okay. When a gossip takes an innocent life, premeditated and purposeful, it is the exact same as what the murderer did. Ruining by slander can sometimes be worse than murder.

Nita bumped buggies in the grocery store with Sara. Nita's eyes were red from crying. Deeply concerned, Sara urged Nita to tell her what was wrong. Her guard down, Nita poured out the whole sordid mess soaking her life. Most of it pertained to how her boss was inventing things about her, spoiling her relationship with upper management. She was afraid she was going to be fired, because of all the manufactured "evidence" her immediate boss had submitted to upper management.

Sara couldn't believe what she was hearing. Why Nita's boss was a professing Christian. She said she went to church every Sunday and Wednesday, and she held prayer meetings and prayer walks at their place of business. Why would she do such a thing?

Nita couldn't fathom why.

Monday rolls around, and Becky stops by Nita's office. She leaned against the door and told Nita, "You know something? I want what you have. I see that woman up front saying she's Christian, but she doesn't act it at all. But you do, Nita. You have a peace and serenity that I want."

(The essence of the above story is true, but I've changed the names and places to protect all involved.)

When Satan stirs up trouble for us Christians, what he means for evil, God turns to good. Every single time, God turns it to good to bring Himself glory. Count yourself blessed when this happens to you. Peter says it best,

1Peter 1:6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Because we say, "That's okay. It's all right, I forgive you," it feels like we have told the offender what they did is okay, which is what forgiveness sometimes feels like on the surface. When an offense has been committed, it is not all okay. However, who wants to carry dead weight around? Letting go of the offense and allowing God to deal with it in His own way and His own time is the act of forgiveness. I seriously doubt that anyone who forgives an offense can completely put it out of their mind and never think of it again. However, we can decide never to bring it up again and in so doing, we can choose our thought process concerning the event.

"'Christ in You...'" from Dale Krebbs

The Saints Who Slept