Sometimes the most profound truths require the least amount of words.
“Life is an adventure in forgiveness.”
Six words. Life-changing truth, wouldn’t you agree?
Forgiveness is an adventure that leads us into the wide open spaces of freedom. Unforgiveness leads us to a dark dead end of anger and resentment and bitterness.
We have a choice: to forgive or not to forgive. And our decision affects how we live for weeks, months, years to come.
We face the choice between forgiveness and unforgiveness over and over again in our lives.
I’ve had people tell me so many different things about forgiveness:
- that I had to do this
- that I had to say these specific words
- that forgiveness wasn’t genuine unless [fill in the blank with some stipulation]
- that I hadn’t truly forgiven someone because [again, fill in the blank because I didn’t do it their way]
Here’s what I’ve learned about forgiveness:
- Forgiving someone else can be hard.
- Forgiveness can sometimes be a process, not always an overnight success.
- When you can’t, God can.
A little explanation on that last point of “When you can’t, God can.”
There was a time when I struggled with forgiving someone in my life. This person hurt me again and again and again. I read books on forgiveness. Read Scriptures on forgiveness. Prayed about forgiveness. One morning, I dropped to my knees beside my bed and said out loud, “I can’t forgive this person, God.”
And God replied, “I know you can’t. But I can. Let me help you.”
And that’s when I realized where my forgiveness ran out, God’s forgiveness met mine and continued on and on and on …
When my ability to forgive wasn’t enough, God stepped in and supplied what I lacked.
In Your Words: What’s one thing you’ve learned about forgiveness that’s helped you choose forgiveness over unforgiveness?
In Others' Words: And Adventure in Forgiveness http://bit.ly/2yfSCrE #quote #forgiveness Click To Tweet 'Life is an adventure in forgiveness.' Quote by Norman Cousins #choices #relationships Click To Tweet
Comments 10
Beth, yes, but…
I’ve seen things.
May God forgive the perpetrators, because I never will, and if I catch them they will wish they had never been born.
I may be sick, but I’m not dead, and I have not forgotten.
Author
Andrew: I am not one to judge the road you’ve walked. I know it’s one I would never wish to travel.
And I also know you are a man of great mercy and kindness, too.
Thanks, Beth.
Yes! I cannot forgive, but God can. The old “forgive and forget” doesn’t work for me. If I can pause one moment when those images come back and give it to God, then I’m okay. It’s done.
Thanks, Beth!
Author
Angie: Forgiveness is one of the most difficult — and most life-giving –lessons I’ve ever learned. It doesn’t look like I imagined. Or like I was taught … but it’s more. Better. Bigger.
On several stand-out occasions especially, I’ve been amazed at how strongly forgiveness is a sudden, loving, strong attitude keven before thoughts and words form. I’ve been grateful that God massaged my heart to line up with His redemptive viewpoint, and after those experiences, felt empowered and closer to God’s image than any other times in my life.
Author
I’m just standing in the truth of your words, Dee, because I think they reflect God’s heartbeat.
I don’t wait to heal before I forgive. I forgive to heal. I can’t heal with the poison of bitterness in my wounds. Bitterness festers and infects others. Forgiveness is a choice. I forgive even if I don’t feel like it, because God forgave me.
Author
“I forgive to heal.” Wise words, Lindy.
“Cousins are friends a good way to love you for all time.” “Time passes and we can be apart, but cousins usually stay close at coronary heart.” “In my cousin, I find a 2nd self.” “We won’t have it all together, but together we’ve it all.”