Sermon Illustrations
"Diary of a Mad Black Woman": Our Need to Forgive
As the wife of a wealthy attorney, Helen lives in a mansion, wears designer clothes, and eats at the best restaurants. Her life seems ideal, until she discovers her husband has a mistress with whom he has two children. When she confronts him, he kicks her out of the house, puts her belongings in a U-haul, and demands a divorce.
Helen wants to hurt him in return, but Helen's mother encourages a different response.
"You haven't hurt him, have you?" her mother asks.
"Just his feelings."
"I know this man put a hurting on you, baby. But you got to forgive him. No matter what he done to you, you got to forgive him. Not for him, but for you."
"Forgive him for me?" Helen asks.
"When someone hurts you, they take power over you," explains her mother. "When you don't forgive them, they keeps the power over you. Forgive him, baby. And after you forgive him, forgive yourself."
Content: Rated PG-13
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