I don't know about you, but I struggle with this one tiny little word...
Forgiveness.
Okay, so I can hold a bit of a grudge. When people sincerely apologize, I often forgive quickly. I know that no one is perfect, and humans are without a doubt going to fail another in some way or another. As bad as this sounds, everyone I know and can call at least an acquaintance is going to hurt me in one way or another sometime in my life. The closer that person is to me, the more likely he or she is to let me down or disappoint me in the long run. I realize this. That's just the way of sinful human life.
However, it's hard for me to forgive when the person doesn't ask for forgiveness. Is that worldly and self-centered of me? Yes. I'm constantly having to work on forgiving, praying for God to teach me how to forgive. Emotions and feelings hang in a precarious balance. They are so easily swayed, changing on a moment's notice based on a phone call, conversation, or an event that does not go as planned. I am not a moody person, but even my emotions can swing widely in a day, depending on the events of that day. Therefore, people can "stab" my feelings relatively easily, especially when they do not apologize after hurting me. Yet, I know the Bible says to react differently. Luke 6:27-28 says, "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." How hard is that?? Praying for your enemies, or the people who hurt you? Loving those who do not love you back? Blessing those who despise you? No one ever said living according to the Bible would be easy, but this is pretty much impossible without the help of the Lord.
Forgiveness is and will always be something I need to pray about and ask God to teach me how to do.
I'll leave you with this great C.S. Lewis quote:
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."
Forgiveness.
Okay, so I can hold a bit of a grudge. When people sincerely apologize, I often forgive quickly. I know that no one is perfect, and humans are without a doubt going to fail another in some way or another. As bad as this sounds, everyone I know and can call at least an acquaintance is going to hurt me in one way or another sometime in my life. The closer that person is to me, the more likely he or she is to let me down or disappoint me in the long run. I realize this. That's just the way of sinful human life.
However, it's hard for me to forgive when the person doesn't ask for forgiveness. Is that worldly and self-centered of me? Yes. I'm constantly having to work on forgiving, praying for God to teach me how to forgive. Emotions and feelings hang in a precarious balance. They are so easily swayed, changing on a moment's notice based on a phone call, conversation, or an event that does not go as planned. I am not a moody person, but even my emotions can swing widely in a day, depending on the events of that day. Therefore, people can "stab" my feelings relatively easily, especially when they do not apologize after hurting me. Yet, I know the Bible says to react differently. Luke 6:27-28 says, "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." How hard is that?? Praying for your enemies, or the people who hurt you? Loving those who do not love you back? Blessing those who despise you? No one ever said living according to the Bible would be easy, but this is pretty much impossible without the help of the Lord.
Forgiveness is and will always be something I need to pray about and ask God to teach me how to do.
I'll leave you with this great C.S. Lewis quote:
"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."
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