What is forgiveness?

Today’s homily is all about forgiveness. I thought of it for awhile and I said it’s so hard to forgive someone who made your life miserable, isn’t it? I’m only human; I can get angry and hate that someone, a natural instinct especially when I’ve been hurt badly. But God can forgive us that easy. Is it because God is not a human? Or God loves us that much that he doesn’t want to lose us? Matthew 18:21-25 is about the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

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I thought I could never ever forgive the person who has done something so bad to me. I have tried but I couldn’t. I actually turned to God and asked him, why should I feel this way? Is it wrong to hate someone? Is it wrong to get angry at them cause of what they did? How can I forgive them dear God? I can’t find the nerve to forgive them ever. I hated them much.


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Forgiveness is a choice. We must trust God to work on us so that forgiveness will flow easily within our hearts. Forgiveness involves time as well. Maybe we can’t forgive that person now, maybe in time we are ready to move on and let go of that anger and hatred inside our hearts. So true that forgiveness is a slow process.
When we learn to forgive someone we receive the award of freedom. Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, said, "Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you." We know much that we suffer most because we choose not to forgive and that we imprisoned ourselves to hatred, anger and bitterness.  When we forgive we let go of those negative feelings.


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“Anger is like flowing water.
There’s nothing wrong with it as long as you let it flow.
Hate is like stagnant water.
Anger that you denied yourself the freedom to feel, the freedom to flow.
Water that you gathered in one place and left to forget.
Stagnant water becomes dirty, poisonous, deadly.”
C. JoyBell C.
Flowing water allows forgiveness.
It allows you to acknowledge your feelings, feel them, and then let them pass.
Allow yourself to feel whatever it is that you feel.
Instead of attaching judgement to your feelings,
Embrace them with compassionate curiosity.
Let your waters of forgiveness flow. 
Let them push out the hate.
And make room for love
Matthew 6:14-16 

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NIV)

Comments

  1. Forgiveness..it is one thing that I usually do..your right sis it is a choice but their are different levels and time for forgiveness..it is easy for me to forgive a person if I love him..specially if I really want to keep or make a relationship work..

    But when abuse steps in and I'm sorry is just but a word that doesn't includes change then..it will be so hard for me to forgive..

    I have loooottssss of patience sis and it is easy for me to forgive but I have MY LIMITS..your right we are humans..and sometimes unforgiveness or hate towards a person gave me strength to fight back for our rights..it opened my eyes to the real truth that I once avoided..

    *As what they say Time heals wounds but for me wounds can heal and you can forget about your past hurts but the SCARS will remain forever..*

    *xensya sis..I can say I can be the BEST Lover and even a friend..BUT I can Turn to be the WORST Lover or Friend if someone forces me too grrrrrrrr.. as in to the max..*

    Once I have shot the door it can't be reopened again by the same person..ganun ako po talaga..mabait pero brutal magalit hehehe..

    *hugs sissy mwahhhh..*

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  2. I agree with the thought- Forgiveness takes time. So true. The deeper the blade had sunk, the longer it will get healed--the scar inflicted will leave a very good lesson for both you and the trespasser.

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  3. @Sie: I know ate sie it's hard to forgive someone especially that someone leave you so much pain. In time I know in God's grace you'll learn to forgive that person.

    Only God knows when but I'll be happy if that time comes. I know I shouldn't be saying this cause I'm not on your shoes but I know in my heart there is forgiveness waiting for that person,in God's time.

    I will pray for your complete healing ate Sie. *hugs and kiss*

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  4. @beanizer_05: Hello thanks for sharing your thoughts about this. It's hard to forgive and that is really a slow process. A process in time we would learn to let go.

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