Forgive and you will be forgiven – Luke 6:37

I’m having trouble finding the words today.  

What can I say about forgiveness? 

I know I ask for it from our Lord, probably on a daily basis, but am I willing to extend it to others just as easily?

The passage today says “Forgiveness isn’t a feeling – it’s a decision.”  

A decision.

Let’s sit with that for a minute.  “Forgiveness isn’t a feeling – it’s a decision.”  

To me it’s always been a feeling.  

Forgiving meant I felt better.  

It meant it was over.  The offense was null and void and in the past.  

But is that true?  

If I’m being totally honest with myself, perhaps it wasn’t null and void.  Perhaps I buried the feelings, but did I really forgive my offender?  

Or am I still carrying the weight of it all?  Holding onto hurts only to have them bubble up at unexpected times?  

The passage says, “forgiveness doesn’t erase the past, but it loosens its grip on our hearts.  We’re not only setting others free – we’re healing ourselves.” 

So…if we embrace those words…we can hand our hurts over to God.

We can decide to let Him handle it.

In His way, in His time.  

And we can begin to heal. 

As difficult as it may be to accept at times, I suppose it’s true… 

Forgiveness is a decision.  Deciding to forgive is intentional.  

And ultimately, it’s freeing.

So maybe forgiveness is both.

A feeling and a decision.   

If I decide to forgive, if I hand my hurts over to God, I’ll feel lighter, happier, more peaceful.

So…this lent I’ll pray for strength, honesty, and mercy and I’ll pray the same for you.

Forgive me Lord for my failings and help me to forgive others.  We lay our hurts at Your feet…you can take it from here.  Amen.