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God Can’t Mean That
You’d probably rather move a mountain with a plastic shovel and bucket than...
Steven Pawley
December 20, 2025
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Mark Twain famously quipped, “it ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it’s the parts that I do understand that bother me.”
In 2 Peter 3:16 Peter acknowledged that some Scripture is hard to understand. And let’s face it, God reserves the right to say the hard stuff and not explain Himself.
By show of hands, who here liked hearing, “because I said so” growing up? Who here said it 🙋🏼♂️
Many are celebrating that glorious night when light broke through the darkness and hardness of humanity. “God with us”, Emmanuel (Isa. 7:14, Mt. 1:23), the reason for the season.
30 years later He made a statement that isn’t hard to understand, but for some feels impossible to do. He doesn’t explain it, soften it, or relieve us from it.
(v. 1-4). He can’t mean that.
But He does. The disciples struggled because they did understand what He said. Impossible! We’re going to need more faith (v. 5).
Yet Jesus is having none of it (v. 6-10). Doing what He says isn’t about “enough faith”.
It’s about being faithful to forgive “because I said so”.
Growing up, I wasn’t always mature enough or ready for the “reason” behind my parent’s “do it”. I wonder if God does the same with us. He knows it’s good even if we don’t.
If you studied all there is to know about forgiveness, would you be more likely to do it? You probably already know enough. So, what’s really holding you back?
Forgive.
He can’t mean that!
I can’t soften what Jesus said so plainly. But I can understand the real challenge forgiving may present you. You’d rather move a mountain with a plastic shovel and bucket, right?
I also cannot minimize or invalidate the real pain, loss and sorrow others may have caused you. And God doesn’t either. “Because I said so” might have to be enough; you’ll understand later.
When John wrote about Jesus his emphasis was on fellowship: “God with us” is relational. It’s the essence of Christian community and can’t be present without forgiveness (1 John 1:3-7).
Forgiveness is another reason for the season and is a gift we faithfully place into God’s hands where it belongs because He said so. That might have to be enough, and you already have the faith.
The darkest part of the year is here. Maybe it’s time to let some light break through as you invite “God with us” into deeper fellowship with you as you faithfully give what He asks (Col. 3:12-15).
Reach out by email if I can be of some encouragement or help in some way with this. If you’d like a little more, you can check out the GO DEEPER section below.
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GO DEEPER with Today’s Read:
What Forgiveness is Not!
1) A Feeling. We do not wait to feel like forgiving; we do so because it is right and pleases the Lord.
2) A Forgetting. We will not just forget about what someone did. We might remember for a long time.
3) An Excusing. Because we forgive does not mean we endorse, approve, agree with or are ok with their actions. Forgiveness in no way is an encouragement to continue in the offensive behavior.
4) A Guarantee. Forgiveness does not secure against future transgressions. Trust will have to be rebuilt…
5) An Escape. Forgiveness does not mean the offender is free of realistic consequences, restitution, etc. By forgiving, we place the person and consequences in God’s hands and makes them His project not our own.
What Forgiveness is.
1) A Complete Forgiving. I won’t bring it up again, even though I may not forget. I won’t hold it against you. Lack of follow through here is a simmering source of much relational conflict and debilitating bitterness.
2) An Immediate Forgiving. Upon sincere confession and repentance. There is no “earning” forgiveness – it is a gift willfully granted in recognition of how much we have been forgiven by God (Col. 3:12-15, Mt. 18).
3) Without Guarantees. It does not seek to secure a “promise” of never doing it again (Luke 17:1-10).
4) An Event. Granting forgiveness is an event, while carrying out forgiveness is a process that may take time. New feelings have to be established and exercised for healing to occur. It takes time to heal and healing begins with the act of forgiving.
5) A Choice. I choose to be offended, and I can choose not to be or not to stay offended. I can pass over the transgression or let it go (“chuck it in the cornfield” - Pro. 17:9, 14, 19:11)! What I choose, God chooses (Mt. 18:18-22).
6) A Preventive. Roots of bitterness grow, hurting others until “pulled”. Satan uses unforgiveness to his advantage, it cannot be ignored (2 Cor. 2:9-11, Heb. 12:14-15). We sometimes have to work long and hard, with those embittered or deeply hurt, (or easily offended) to get those roots all the way out.
If you’re struggling to forgive or be forgiven, get some help from a good Christian counselor or friend who can walk you through this important issue.
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