Forgiveness can be a tough concept for most people. Can you truly forgive but not forget? Some people think that ‘sweeping it under the rug’ is enough. Some people think that to truly forgive is to forget all that has happened. I think…it’s a little of both.
But why is forgiveness such a hard concept? Maybe it’s because we don’t actually understand what it truly means to be forgiven. When I went through LIFE group (Living in Freedom Everyday), I struggled with forgiveness. I was the kind of person that swept everything under the rug. I said I forgave but I still held everything inside of me. The problem with this is that eventually everything comes to light. I began to see how petty I could be, holding on to grudges over stupid things. But I also saw how hurt I had been, and how hurt I continued to be. I let people that wronged me how so much power over me. They had authority over my life which kept me from God. My unforgiveness towards others, and towards myself, kept me from God.
Then God showed me the light. He has forgiven me! And because He has forgiven me, I am able to forgive others.
It is not my job to judge others or hold grudges. And the more I hold on to it, the less room I have in my heart for God. When you can truly understand the forgiveness of God, the fact that He sent His only son to die for our sins so we may have forgiveness, then forgiving others is a piece of cake.
If you believe that Jesus died for you, how can you not believe that you are forgiven?
I found that my problem was not forgiving others, it was forgiving myself. All too often we are our own worst critics, living with guilt and shame. I never believed I was worthy enough of God’s forgiveness. But again that is not for me to decide. God is my judge, and He has called me worthy and forgiven.
Forgiveness is not a ‘one and done’ kind of thing either. Everyday we must seek God’s forgiveness. Likewise, everyday we must seek to forgive others and forgive ourselves. Forgiveness doesn’t equal forgetting either. You can’t just forget what happens to you. But forgiving the person helps you move on and helps you grow. We gain wisdom from our past.
So what did I learn? Well I’m still learning, and still working on Forgiveness. But by God’s grace I know I will get there one day. Trust that He has forgiven you and the rest will fall into place.
Much Love and Many Blessings!
A Light In The Dark Designs 