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THE UNFATHOMABLE
FREEDOM OF FORGIVENESS THE IMMACULEE ILLIBAGIZA STORY
Easter grace is being outpoured. Available to each of us right now is the present power of Jesus Christ to heal, transform, revive, and strengthen. Easter Story Week 2:
In this journey of life, most of us are lugging around weight we can not see—offenses we have committed and those inflicted upon us. These offenses, whether small slights or grave injustices, have a way of binding us in chains, constraining our hearts and clouding our vision. As they fester and grow with each passing day, they profoundly impact our health and wellbeing.
The truly scary thing is how the Enemy can remain hidden in regions of our souls as a welcome guest! We entertain his insidious, grotesque whispers "Look what he did! You can't let that go!" No! And so we remain in shackles. Spiritually suffocating. Without apology or forgiveness, a singular, limited instance has the power to spread like a virus, infecting the way we see ourselves, others and the world.
So the big questions: Is there any suffering or offense too great to be freed from such shackles? What difference would that make? Do you want it?
Let me tell you about Immaculée Ilibagiza— a story of unimaginable trauma and unfathomable forgiveness. During the Rwandan genocide of 1994, Immaculée, a young Tutsi woman, found herself hiding in a tiny bathroom with seven other women, as machete-wielding killers hunted for her family outside.
For 91 agonizing days, they endured the relentless terror of hiding in cramped quarters, with suffocating fear as their constant companion and the chilling specter of death lurking just beyond the walls. In the midst of this harrowing ordeal, Immaculée Ilibagiza, merely 22 years old at the time, grappled with unimaginable horrors.
As the days stretched into weeks, and the weeks into months, the darkness seemed unyielding, enveloping them in despair. Yet, amidst the horrors of the Rwandan genocide of 1994, Immaculée's spirit remained unbroken.
It was only after her eventual release, emerging from the confines of her hiding place, that Immaculée confronted the full extent of the devastation that had ravaged her homeland. Amidst the rubble and the ruins, she faced a choice—to succumb to the bitterness and hatred festering within her heart or to embrace the transformative power of forgiveness.
In the wake of unspeakable loss and unfathomable suffering, Immaculée discovered a profound truth—that even in the darkest of nights, the light of forgiveness can shine forth with radiant clarity.
Through prayer and meditation on the words of the Lord's Prayer, Immaculée found the strength to forgive those who had wronged her, including the man who murdered her family. In releasing the shackles of unforgiveness, she experienced a liberation unlike any other—a freedom that transcended the confines of her circumstances and transformed her heart with divine grace.
If Immaculée can forgive atrocity, why can't we? Unforgiveness, as the saying goes, is like drinking poison and expecting others to be harmed. Too often, we allow our pride and wounded egos to blind us to the reality of our own need for forgiveness and reconciliation. We fail to see beyond our limited perspectives, clinging stubbornly to grievances that only imprison us further.
Easter is not a past historical event but a present, powerful reality. Christ has conquered death. Healing, transforming Blood and Water are pouring forth from His Side. Don't wait another moment! Heed the invitation right now to be free—free from the chains of unforgiveness, free from the burden of resentment and bitterness. Let us take that courageous step towards healing and reconciliation, initiating apologies to those we have wronged and extending forgiveness from the depths of our hearts.
In forgiveness lies the essence of the Lord's Prayer—to forgive as we have been forgiven, to love as we have been loved. And in forgiveness lies the promise of hearts destined for the Kingdom—a kingdom where grace reigns supreme and mercy knows no bounds.
Join us in the conversation. We are very interested in your candid thoughts, questions, disagreements and considerations. Please share with us at Alive@MassImpact.us.
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Mission 2024: Heaven Come to Earth. It's our prayer and pursuit.
Some of the consequential news we discuss in IGNITE Radio Live this week:
(Special program this week. Look for return next week!)
A vital partnership with Father John Riccardo's Rescue Project: Home Edition amplifies our commitment to bringing the Father's Heart into homes. This collaboration serves as a beacon of hope, offering refuge, healing, and renewal to those seeking a deeper connection with their faith. (CatholicRevival.us)
At the core of our mission is the Live IT Gathering Guide, a weekly commitment for families to grow together. United with other families on the same journey, we form a robust network of support, fortifying each other in our collective mission to build the Kingdom of God. (ILoveMyFamily.us)
Announcing! release of my first book and ebook, "The Magnificent Piglets of Pigletsville" (Our Present-Day Plight Wrapped in a Fairytale). In the depths, beyond the shallows of politics, is our deepest aspiration for belonging and becoming, which takes place on a battlefield. ORDER See the book-movie trailer at Squigglesprout.com.
Please help our mission by purchasing Amazon through this AMAZON LINK. Thank you!
Right now we are in particular need and would be so grateful for your Partnership.
Please be assured of our prayers. Holy Spirit, come!
Greg Schlueter
Mass Impact | Image Trinity
Greg@MassImpact.us | (814) 449-8808
We are uniting families in building the Kingdom.
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