Thursday, February 24, 2011

I Forgive You



[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Image by neko687 via Flickr"]Moon[/caption]


Today's blog topic at the Faith Barista Jam is forgiveness.

Ouch.

I don't know about this.

Forgiveness is difficult. Especially, when it is I that have been wronged.

Especially, when I didn't deserve what I got.

I was left hurt. Bruised. Confused. Broken.

How does one forgive through the pain?

Even when the wrong doer doesn't care about the pain he/she caused....

The sleepless nights.....

The actions that played in my head like a never ending movie reel...

I was a prisoner in my own unforgiveness.

It wasn't pleasant. I didn't enjoy it. But, I couldn't let it go.

I didn't know how.

Until......

God showed me.

It didn't happen all at once.

It was work.

I still work at it.

I've learned that forgiveness is a gift.

Not just to the forgiven....but, to the one forgiving.

A gift of peace.

How can I not forgive others, when Christ has so richly forgiven me?

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

(Colossians 3:13)

4 comments:

  1. Dawn, I have experienced deep hurts at times and the last thing I wanted to was to forgive. However, I knew in my heart that I had to forgive and seek forgiveness, too. When I forgive, there is such a peace in the heart.
    My advice to people who suffer being hurt by someone else is to put it all into God's hands and to put that person/situation into God's hands. Pray for that person daily and ask God to be with them.

    I have a writing in process on the topic of forgiveness and about not remembering wrongs of others.

    This was a very good post. Blessings!

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  2. Dawn,
    No, it doesn't all happen at once, but I sure wish it would!

    Read your profile. I'm a special ed teacher and a crazed sweet tea lover too.

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  3. Hi Dawn! I didn't see your post in the Link Up yesterday, but I was just here looking at the referring links tonight... and voila! I saw your link! :)

    I'm SO glad I didn't miss our beautiful words...

    "I’ve learned that forgiveness is a gift."

    Forgiveness is such a complex and heart-longing topic - My heart is happy to sip your thoughts and feel encouraged. Yes, "prisoner of my thoughts too..." but, released here in this sharing.

    If you don't mind, I would love to have your link archived on the Faith Barista link up. I'll tweet you Monday, when there are more friends around - would love to share this post with them. ;)

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  4. Dawn, this is so awesome. I struggled with unforgiveness for many years and I was so stubborn and just refused to let it go. It was with tremendous work and prayer that I let it go. I still work on it in my spiritual journey, but I know that forgiving is also for me as much as the person I am forgiving.

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