17. Forgiving the Unforgivable: A Christmas Story

Christmas is a season of hope, joy, and peace, but for many, it is a season when old hurts resurface, reminding us of things that are anything but joyful.

Vona Johnson explores the profound theme of forgiveness in this heartfelt episode of Courageous Retirement. Reflecting on personal stories, Christian teachings, and poignant examples, Vona encourages listeners to release long-held hurts and embrace the true spirit of Christmas—granting and receiving forgiveness.

Using insights from Lora Johnson's book 'The Night I Met Santa,'  she demonstrates how connecting with forgiveness can bring peace and joy into your life.  If you  are looking for ways to make this Christmas more meaningful than ever, you will want to tune into this episode.

Scripture Referenced:
Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT)

Quote from Lora Johnson, " Christmas is all about getting the gift that we never deserved and never will."

Listen to the interview with Lora Johnson and hear the story here:
https://bit.ly/Night_I_Met_Santa

Purchase the Book: https://www.thenightimetsanta.com/books/the-night-i-met-santa

00:00 The Season of Forgiveness
00:32 Introducing Courageous Retirement
00:51 The True Meaning of Christmas
02:03 The Importance of Forgiveness
04:07 Practical Steps to Forgiveness
06:09 Reflecting on Personal Hurts
08:41 Finding Joy in Forgiveness
09:01 Looking Forward to the New Year

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Thank you for stopping by today! Remember to Engage Your Faith and Live Your More as you reap the benefits of Courageous Retirement!

To watch the video, check out my YouTube Channel!

Learn more about the show, author Vona Johnson, and more at CourageousRetirement.com!

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Christmas is a season of hope,joy, love, and giving, but for

(00:04):
many of us, it's also a seasonwhen old hurts resurface.
Have you ever felt a hurt thatwas so deep that it felt like
forgiveness was impossible?
Maybe it was a family rift, abroken promise, or maybe even
something that you can't forgiveyourself for.
Today, we're going to talk aboutthe hardest gift to give this
season forgiveness.
By the end of this episode,you're going to see how

(00:26):
forgiveness is not onlypossible.
But it's the greatest gift thatyou can give and receive.
I hope you'll join us.

Speaker (00:33):
Do you fear what lies beyond retirement?
What if it's a gateway to a lifefilled with purpose, meaning,
and adventure rather than anend?
Discover peace and fulfillmentas you boldly enter this new
chapter in CourageousRetirement, a Christian podcast.
I'm your host, author and coach,Vona Johnson.
Let's get started.
As children, we start outfocusing on the gifts and then

(00:55):
as we get older, we start torealize kind of like the Grinch
in the Grinch that stoleChristmas.
We began to realize thatChristmas is about so much more.
It wasn't until I purchased abook called The Night I Met
Santa" by Lora Johnson.
And it really struck me becauseit takes.
The story of Santa and a littleboy who was pretty rambunctious

(01:17):
and, and actually just quitenaughty on Christmas Eve.
And his mom took his stockingaway and told him that he didn't
deserve to have any presents..
I interviewed her and learnedabout her backstory of how it
all came about.
What I really love.
About that story.
Is that it really it hits to thecore of Christianity.

(01:40):
It hits to the core of why Jesuscame down.
We know this, we know that hecame to forgive us for our sins,
but sometimes we forget to makethat link between when he came
down as a little baby in amanger that we sing about in all
the beautiful Christmas carols.
And we forget to make the linkto the man who died on the cross
30 some years later.

(02:01):
And it's all about forgiveness.
Those of us at the retirementage, especially, I think you
begin to realize how importantit is that we focus on that
aspect of forgiveness, both forourselves and the people that we
need to forgive, but then alsofor our families and to help
them realize that we all need togive forgiveness.

(02:25):
You may be struggling to offerforgiveness to someone who has
hurt you.
Maybe it was over a harshconversation about politics in
this very difficult year wherewe were all in disagreement with
someone.
Or maybe it was, a conversationyears ago with a family member
or a friend or a coworker.
That has just left a lingeringhurt in our heart.

(02:48):
It could go all the way back toour childhood where something
was done, that was very, veryharmful or damaging.
We have sometimes have atendency to categorize sins and
we have a tendency sometimes tothink that other people's sins
are worse than our sins.
If those people have hurt us.
Badly.
We have a tendency to want tohang on to that hurt and, and

(03:11):
hold that against them.
Yes, we need to have boundariesand we need to protect ourselves
from being hurt again.
But we also need to forgive.
And something that really cameto mind to me recently that
really surprised and almostshocked me was the fact that.
We know the Lord's prayer whereit says, give us this day, our
daily bread and forgive us, ourtrespasses, as we forgive those

(03:36):
who trespass against us.
What I didn't realize.
I knew forgiveness was a bigthing, but what I did not
realize.
Until really just recently, wasthe very next clause after Jesus
gives.
His apostles, the Lord's prayerSays if you forgive those who
sin against you, your heavenlyfather will forgive you.

(03:59):
But if you refuse to forgiveothers, your father will not
forgive you.
Ouch.
Who in your life?
Have you been holding on to.
That gift of grace, that giftedforgiveness that you could give,
who are you preventing theirfreedom and your own freedom by

(04:20):
forgiving them for whatever itis that they did.
Again, yes, we need to haveboundaries and we need to not
put ourselves in harm's way.
But we need to forgive.
And truly that's what theChristmas story is all about.
I want to encourage you to golisten to.
The the story.

(04:41):
The night I met Santa's by LoraJohnson.
I recorded it on my show.
Longing for more years ago,actually it was five years ago.
This Christmas.
Uh, I did an interview with Loraon episode 83 of Longing for
More.
And I will put a link to theshow in my show notes today.

(05:02):
and then I also did a bonusrecording of me reading the
story.
And I just encourage you to golisten to that bonus episode.
If you have time, listen to theinterview with Lora because it
is just a beautiful example ofgrace and it's such a beautiful
reminder and these are Lora'swords, not my own, but it's a
reminder that Christmas is allabout.

(05:23):
Getting the gift.
We never deserved.
And never will.
Think about that.
Christmas is all about gettingthe gift that we never deserved
and never will.
I love that.
They're just brings me joy.
But I also like how the bookties.
Our traditional thoughts ofChristmas with Santa together

(05:46):
with the true meaning ofChristmas and helps make it real
for children.
So I hope you'll listen to it.
I hope you'll share it with yourchildren.
And I just pray that as youenter into this week of
Christmas and beyond.
That you will.
Think about who in your life?

(06:07):
Do you need to forgive?
Maybe you have an estrangedrelationship with one of your
children.
And there's a lot of pain fromyears of lack of communication
or strained communication aboutsome of the life choices that
they've made.
Or maybe it's a hurt from a pastfriendship and that friendship
was broken from a betrayal or amisunderstanding of some sort

(06:32):
that's just never healed.
Maybe there's some conflict inyour marriage and decades old
unresolved issues or deep hurtsthat have been buried in your
marriage resurface as you gointo retirement and you're
starting to spend more timetogether Is it possible that you
have workplace wounds fromunappreciated overlook or maybe
misunderstood circumstancesduring your career?

(06:55):
Is it possible that you havesome church conflict that
lingers in your heart?
There have been disagreementsover leadership decisions that
have been made.
Or even theological perspectivesthat are happening within your
congregation that led todivision and possibly you even
leaving the church.
It's possible maybe for you orsomeone, you know, that there

(07:16):
have been family disputes overinheritances or caregiving and
in the proper way to handlethose So often arguments come
out over wills and caregivingresponsibilities for aging
parents.
And people fight over theproperty, who should have gotten
what, and is it time to let thatgo?
You possibly may be, have hurtsfrom your neighbors or other

(07:38):
community members ondisagreements over property
lines, or how things aresupposed to be taken care of.
Maybe you're offended bysomething that was said or done
in the past.
And is it truly time to let thatgo?
And most importantly, is there aneed for self-forgiveness.
Are you living with regret overmissed opportunities, unkind

(07:59):
words, or just mistakes thathave happened in the past?
Maybe it's something even as bigas having a past abortion, is it
time to let yourself haveforgiveness and to truly move
on.
I'm guessing somebody's name hascome up for you as you were
listening to this episode.
And I want you to write it downright now.
And then I want you to prayabout it.

(08:21):
I want you to ask God to helpyou to forgive.
Because if you haven't done itby now, you can't do it on your
own.
You'll need his help.
So ask him to help you toforgive.
And just get on your knees orwhen you're out for a walk.
It doesn't matter.
But just pray and ask him tohelp you and then let it go.

(08:41):
And find the joy in Christmas,joy.
Isn't all about the laughter andthe fun and the cookies and the
eggnog, joy is about.
Finding rest in our Lord andtrusting that he has a beautiful
plan for us, even through thedifficult times in our lives.
I just want to thank you forstopping by today.

(09:02):
Next episode will be in 2025.
I am excited to share somereally fun episodes with you
coming into the new year.
And I'm just so blessed that youare here.
I have an amazing Christmas ifthis is after Christmas and
you're still listening to it, Ijust hope you have an amazing
day.
And remember that.
All of our time.

(09:22):
Has in the season of advent iswaiting for Christ.
We are still waiting for Christ.
So seek him always seek himfirst above all else.
And your life will just be sofull of joy and happiness.
Maybe not the happiness, always,but the joy in knowing that he's
got your back.
Thanks again for stopping bytoday.

(09:42):
I pray that you will engage yourfaith with whoever God brings to
you in this holiday season.
And that you will live your moreand experience the fullness.
That courageous retirement canbring into your life.
God bless.