In honor of National Forgiveness Week, I want to talk about the power of forgiveness.
Forgiveness is not about the person who wronged you.
Forgiveness is about you.
When you live with unforgiveness, you fill a well of bitterness in your heart, mind, and spirit that is difficult to drain. Unforgiveness builds up in your mind, body and spirit and can manifest itself in physical ailments like heart disease and arthritis. In short, forgiving others is more than a spiritual practice, it leads to physical well being.
I describe unforgiveness as holding someone hostage. Imagine a cage in your heart where the person who wronged you is contained. When you forgive that person, you set them free from whatever you hold them responsible for. That is not to say that I want you to condone or approve of their actions.
When you forgive others, you set them free from the cage you hold them in.
When you forgive others, you release them, and surrender them to God.
When you forgive others, you release yourself from playing judge and jury over that person.
When you forgive others, you say to God, “You are judge. I am not.”
In other words, when you forgive others, you are set free from the weight of the cage that contains them.
That’s the power of forgiveness.
That’s the power of the cross.
That’s the power of Jesus!
“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
Hallelujah!