I’ve Had Wounds.

If we’ve lived any length of time, we’ve wounded someone and been wounded by someone.  As much as I love my children, I’ve still hurt them from time to time.  I’ve become very accustomed to asking them to forgive me and acknowledging to them that I was wrong.  I instruct my children to do the same thing when they hurt one another.

“I’m sorry.  I was wrong.  Would you forgive me?”

This is a very important part of the hurt individual’s healing process.

But, sometimes, the person who hurt us doesn’t ackknowledge their wrong doing, nor do they ask for forgiveness.  And, then, we have to, on our own, choose forgiveness.

Yep.  It’s a choice.  Always.  And, it’s also an instruction from our heavenly Father.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  (Col. 3:13)  It’s just not always an EASY choice.  Especially, when we don’t feel like forgiving.  Or, we fear that if we forgive, it will seem as though what they did to us didn’t really matter.  And, let’s face it.  Some things are just much easier to forgive than others.  It’s a lot easier to forgive a friend for running late than it is to forgive a spouse for betrayal. 

But, here’s what I’ve learned from unforgiveness:

It’ll hold us captive to our wounds and what our wounds mean.  Like a prisoner.
It will cause bitterness, and bitterness can wreck our lives and the lives of others around us.

Forgiveness releases you and the person who hurt you.  It doesn’t make sin tolerable.  But, it makes us so profoundly aware of God’s mercy on us.  When we follow God’s instruction and forgive, we put ourselves in a place where He, our Healer, can mend our broken heart. 

I’ve had wounds.

And, I choose forgiveness.  Always. 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Psalm 147:3