10 Contemplative Days in the Lord's PrayerSample

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven those who sin against us. Help us not to give into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, now and forever. Amen

Flip the coin of forgiveness for self and you’re looking at forgiveness for others who have sinned against you. Jesus says the two always go together—that he’s forgiven you of more than you will ever have to forgive of another. Even still, forgiveness has an honest depth to it that can’t be skimmed over with quick phrases that charade “moving on.”

Just like you spent time with Jesus yesterday noticing the picture of what sin has done to shape you and your relational landscape, spend some time today noticing how the sins of others, toward you, have shaped you and your landscape. Don’t try to be nice or “Christian” about it, just notice it for what it is. What was taken? What was lost? What was never given that should have been? Most importantly, what has that done to make you what you are today?

Also like yesterday, go back to the picture of Christ and his cross where forgiveness was paid for. First for your sin. Then for the sin of others. Hold these pictures again together long enough to see if any of these that cause you resentful rumination, buried pain, or vengeful anger can be re-colored sitting next to Jesus.

Pray for an enemy today. Pray for their forgiveness the way you pray for yours. As you pray for them, notice forgiveness in your heart growing for them. The way forgiveness mends over time, this is probably a prayer you’ll need to return to often. It’ll feel like you’re forgiving them all over again, every day, for quite a while.