One day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking 
in the woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many 
things were not right. He thought about those who had lied about him 
back when he had a job.

His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated 
him. He remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the 
illness he had, that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with 
anger, resentment, and frustration.

Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, 
knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak 
tree, to seek the one he knew would always be there. And with tears 
in his eyes, he prayed:

'Lord- You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have 
told me to do many things for You, and I happily obeyed. Today, you 
have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot, I don't 
know how. It is not fair, Lord, I didn't deserve these wrongs that 
were done against me, and I shouldn't
have to forgive. As perfect as your way is, Lord, this one thing I 
cannot do, for I don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep, 
Lord, I fear I may not hear You, but I pray You teach me to do the 
one thing I cannot do: Teach me to forgive.'

As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt 
something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the 
corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt. He could not 
turn to see what it was, because where the oak tree had been, was a 
large, square piece of wood in the ground. He raised his head, and 
saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them.

He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes, as he saw Jesus 
hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a 
torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head.

Finally, he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. As their 
eyes met, the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

'Have you ever told a lie?' He asked?

The man answered--'Yes, Lord.'

'Have you ever been given too much change, and kept it?'

The man answered--'Yes. Lord.' And the man sobbed more and more.

'Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours?' Jesus asked?

And the man answered, 'Yes, Lord.'

'Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain?'

The man, crying now, answered--'Yes, Lord.'

As Jesus asked many more times, 'Have you ever'? The man's crying 
became uncontrollable, for he could only answer--'Yes, Lord'.

Then Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man 
felt something fall on his other shoulder. He looked, and saw that it 
was the blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of 
Jesus, and there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.

Jesus said, 'I didn't deserve this, either, but I forgive you.'

It may be hard to see how you're going to get through something, but 
when you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is.

Read the following first line slowly and let it sink in.

If God brings you to it--He will bring you through it.

"a merry heart doeth good like a medicine." Proverbs 17:22.