This week it has been my privilege to visit with two different people who have endured hurt and betrayal by someone they thought they could trust. That in itself isn't remarkable. Each of us who have lived any time at all bear the scars of hurts inflicted by someone we loved. What made these two conversations remarkable what that each of them made the conscious choice to forgive the one who caused the hurt.
Both situations left the hurting person with a perfect opportunity to use the hurt as an excuse for harboring bitterness and mistrust for the remainder of their lives, but their choice to forgive actually freed them to live in joy. They fully realize the pain they suffered and they don't minimize the severity of the offense, but by forgiving, they have released themselves from the weight of bitterness and unforgiveness which so many carry to their grave.
Each of the people I visited with are joyous people. If you didn't know their story you might be fooled into thinking that nothing bad had ever happened to them, but their joy is not fakery; it authentic God-given joy.
They have found that forgiveness is the best gift they could give themselves. Forgiveness is powerful.
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