Forgive because you’ve been forgiven.
Simple words, easy to understand. Yet, sometimes it’s incredibly difficult to live out.
I think sometimes in the Christian world, we perceive the act of forgiveness to be this incredible, one-time-event that happens when we declares we forgive someone, and then boom.. we are set free for life.
The thoughts of whomever hurt us no longer consume our brain. We are free!
Can this happen? Absolutely. Anything can happen with Jesus.
But what about when you make the choice to forgive someone once, declare it, and then wake up the next morning and realize there is still some bitterness in your heart?
Does that mean you didn’t really forgive them? Did you do it wrong? Were you just lying to yourself? Does this mean your faith just isn’t strong enough?
Probably not.
It might just mean you need to choose to forgive them again.
And again.
And again.
Because oftentimes, forgiveness is a continual choice we need to make. Oftentimes, it’s not a one and done thing.
Sometimes people really, really hurt us. We may have layers of pain that need healing.
It’s not easy. At all.
Forgiveness might mean looking to Jesus, everyday, and remembering what He did. Then choosing to do it, too.
Friends, if it’s a fresh wound, or a really deep wound, you may need to choose to forgive someone daily. Or hourly. Or heck, some days, by the minute.
But don’t be mistaken, choosing to forgive someone, even for the hundredth time, is choosing freedom.
And remember, choosing forgiveness does not mean allowing someone to continuously hurt you or letting them back in, it means surrendering what happened so you don’t have to carry it forever.
As you do this, healing WILL happen, because choosing forgiveness WILL change you.
Each time you choose forgiveness, you are choosing Jesus.
~Kelli Bachara, The Unraveling Blog