Forgiveness Is
In recent days I watched, along with much of the world, a young widow speak “I forgive him” to the person who just days before murdered her husband and father of her two young children. I have seen the moment replayed numerous times. I believe as I watched the replay of her unbelievably brave act of courage, I witnessed a tiny slice of the grief and heartache she is experiencing just leave her! Forgiveness is often mischaracterized as giving a free pass to someone who has caused hurt or harm to myself or someone else. While being forgiven can lessen the burden of guilt, for the perpetrator of something which caused harm to others, it actually begins the healing process for the victim. Extending forgiveness is like a healing salve being placed on an open wound. It brings a lessening of the pain and comfort from the unpleasantness of the wound. I don’t have a way to explain what happens within the person extending forgiveness, I just know it happens. It is similar to what I experience when I see a rainbow. It lightens and brightens my day! Forgiving and being reconciled with a friend, family member or person causing hurt, offers the opportunity to start fresh from a new position and hope that the relationship will be better than before. There are times when the person being forgiven can no longer have a place in our life. Forgiving someone for past hurts does not mean we allow the person to continue to hurt or abuse us. The hurt we experienced can be like a millstone around our neck, pulling us down, and making it impossible to see the bright future which can lie ahead. Forgiveness sets us free to move on with our life! So where does the idea of forgiveness originate or come from? Well, I’m glad you asked.
God, in his love for mankind and for each of us individually, instituted forgiveness. He established forgiveness as a way we could be relieved of the punishment for the wrong things we have done, our sins, and be reconciled in our relationship with Him. He knew, since He created each of us, we would do things to hurt each other. Forgiveness is His provision to mankind to live in peace and harmony with one another. God’s desire is that we recognize our need for relationship with Him. He has placed that desire within each of us. He offers each person the free gift of salvation if we accept His Son Jesus as our Lord and Savior. That begins the process of turning away from living life our way and to begin living life His way. There is a story in the Bible of a woman Jesus encountered at a well. She was living life like many of us. Jesus told her he did not condemn her, and then to go her way and to stop her sinful way of life. You can read the story in John 4:7-26. God will forgive you if you are ready to accept His free gift and His love!