What If We Can’t Forgive?
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I pray “The Lord’s Prayer” many times a day. It is part of my rosary as well as other daily prayers.
Do you know it?
Last night I was reading a lovely little book written by one of my favourite singer/songwriters, Carolyn Arends, called “The Universe in 57 Words …Seven Days Inside The Lord’s Prayer “.
The book breaks down the prayer line by line and gives wonderful insight into each ‘petition’.
When I got to the part about forgiveness I thought there was a wonderful statement to remember.
Many of us have been wounded deeply by someone in our lives. God certainly doesn’t want us to stay in a harmful or toxic relationship. But how can we forgive when forgiveness seems absolutely impossible because of the pain we’ve endured from that person or persons?
Carolyn says we need to start with “ I’m willing to be willing . I choose to release the person as best as I am able”.
Willing to be willing. What a beautiful way to open up our hearts to allowing God to give us peace. Because, yes, that’s what WE receive when we forgive someone. We are released from the ‘bondage of resentment’ and stop hurting ourselves even more than we already have been hurt.
Carolyn also says, “….I used to think it was something God demanded of us, I see now that it is something he longs to give us.”
What a beautiful way of looking at forgiveness! “Forgive us our trespasses ….as WE FORGIVE THOSE who trespass against us.” All of us long for forgiveness for any hurts we may have caused. Likewise, it is so important that we pass on this gift of forgiveness for our own sakes.
By being ‘willing to be willing’ we take the first step in becoming free from the burden/hate we’ve been carrying for so long that WE are weighed down.
I like to say “ Let Go and Let God “.
As we journey forward in this second week of Advent let us try and forgive those in our lives who have hurt us. Let go. Let God deal with it.
And let’s find the freedom that comes with this gift.
Peace, friends.
