Forgiveness Is Key

Last night I was watching 19 Kids and Counting (I know many of you have issues with the Duggars, but I like their show and enjoy watching how they handle day to day activities, etc.) and part of the focus was on Anna's family visiting different prisons to have bible studies with inmates and to help bring God's word to those need/want to hear it.  Given that many of the inmates have at one point or another suffered abuse of some kind, one of the things that they teach is forgiveness.  They explain to the inmates that you can not move on with your life and have a joyful heart without forgiveness to the person(s) that put that hurt there. 

Anna's father was explaining to one group of women that without forgiveness, they would eventually become who/what they most resent and I believe this to be true.  I think that the anger and bitterness that lingers in our hearts leads us to being unhappy and sometimes unkind people.  I believe that as long as we hang onto these bad bits that Satan has a hold of our souls in a bigger way than he would if we gave complete forgiveness. 

The act of forgiveness is hard, I get that...I've been there...but the part that made the forgiveness easier for me was realizing that my hurt and anger was generally only affecting me.  Most of the people that hurt me or that I was angry at were completely unaware of it.  They were living their lives, enjoying themselves, having fun...while I was stewing (and sometimes plotting and planning imaginary acts of revenge LOL).  Once I realized that it just made it easy for me to forgive them and move on. 

Not every one that I've forgiven is someone that is still in my life, but that didn't matter.  You don't have to bring someone back into  your life for forgiveness to occur.  For some it may even be easier to forgive and forget and not have the reminder in their face.  But the point is, just because a person is no longer in your life or an event is long over with, that doesn't mean that we can't, and shouldn't, forgive. 

It's taken me a long time to figure this out.  But it was SO worth the journey.  Because with forgiveness I can hold my head high and not worry about watching my back.  God has me protected there because I've done what He wants me to do.  And it really feels nice to be here.  :-)