If forgiveness is especially beneficial for those who are able to let go of past grudges, the question to reflect upon is: Do we always have to forgive? Why forgive someone who doesn't deserve forgiveness?
Reading this prompt, the question that pops up in my mind is: Who doesn’t deserve forgiveness? Even the hardened criminal we know should be forgiven. Do you know why? Forgiveness is a commandment, and it’s something we must follow, especially as a true child of God.
I understand that some people would hurt you, betray you or even take something so precious from you, but we must forgive them so we can live freely without hoarding pains in our heart.
The Holy Scripture says that one of the important commandments we must adhere to is to love our neighbours as ourselves. And how do we love someone we keep in our hearts because we refuse to forgive them?
I don’t know for others, but for me, forgiveness is an easy thing because I have been trained and empowered by the Holy Spirit to forgive even before someone ever thinks of offending me.
Someone posted on her status some days ago about how she can never forgive someone who decides to be wicked intentionally. I asked myself, “Don’t we intentionally sin against the Almighty, and when we go to Him, doesn't He forgive and erase our sins?” Besides, there's nothing like intentional wickedness. Wickedness is wickedness.
Trust me, this may be impossible with humans, especially in a broken world we live in, but when we actually decide to forgive, it’s for our benefit and we will be able to go to God’s throne boldly to ask for forgiveness.
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” This is a powerful prayer Jesus taught His disciples that in whatever we do, we must forgive first before we receive forgiveness. One would say I’m being spiritual, yes, and that’s because it’s the truth. It’s not easy to forgive someone who treats you badly and unfairly, but it’s very possible when you are in Christ.
Aside from that, the spirit of unforgiveness will only rot our hearts. It’s just like buying bags of tomatoes and keeping them for a long time in the store without using them. After some days, they start to rot and what happens after? They smell and eventually become of no use and would be thrown away.
That’s how unforgiveness is to us. When we refuse to forgive others, our hearts become rotten and we can never have peace of mind, no matter how hard we try to seek it, and finding happiness becomes difficult because something is blocking our heart from receiving the joys we need and unless we release ourselves from such guilt and pain.
No matter how much people hurt us, they deserve to be forgiven because they are humans who need love. When we show them love, we shine the light of God in them, and do you know that they might eventually want to live a better lifestyle like you?
Humans are imperfect, and it’s not possible not to be offended every day. When we can create allowances for people’s offences, believe me, you won’t see them as a problem because you already expected them, and that will make you not keep them for long in your heart but to free them.
If there’s one thing we need to remember, we also would have offended people and in fact, we would always be in the wrong book of some people including those who won’t even tell you they are angry at you and for you to be deserving of their forgiveness, you should forgive people, too. He who has mercy on others would receive mercy from God.
I don’t find it any problem to release people in my heart because I love myself. One of the ways to practice self-love is to be at peace every time and not to keep worrying over someone who has hurt me in the past.
Every day, I wake up with gratitude and joy - this has been something that has helped me stay calm each day without having to worry about who offended me yesterday or the day after. I create my happiness, and if ever I need to be forgiven by God as I go to Him daily for His mercy, then I need to forgive others as soon as they hurt me.
It’s not wrong to call them and explain what they did and that ended it that day. For someone like me, I don’t like telling people what they did to me, except it calls for it, but for such, I tend to forgive instantly, and life moves on.
I would just be careful so I don't allow such a thing to happen next time. That gives me the calming spirit necessary for me to love myself more and not hoard negative feelings and thoughts in my heart, making me feel unhappy and unproductive.
No, I don’t need that energy anywhere around me. I want to be free. I want to live happily and in joy every time. So, I learnt to make allowances for people’s offences so I don’t get caught unexpectedly by their wicked actions. We are all humans, and there’s no way we won’t fault in some areas.
Image Source: Unsplash
