Micah 7: 18-19 What God like you, who forgives evil, and forgets the sin of the remnant of his inheritance? He did not retain his anger forever, because he delights in mercy. He will have mercy on us again; He will bury our iniquities, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
There is an old saying that “when you forgive, you release a prisoner, and that prisoner is you.” Forgiveness is defined as “leaving resentment, forgiving a debt payment, or ceasing to feel resentment against an offender.” Forgiving injury or injustice is an active virtue that requires a conscious decision to start with the angry, hostile, and bitter feelings associated with the harm you received. It is a process of emotional release that can be difficult, but that is nevertheless essential to have spiritual, mental, and physical well-being.
Therefore, forgiveness is an act of acceptance. That is, what we feared, that we did not want to happen or that we did not think was going to happen ended up happening. And what does this mean? My dear friends, that event or situation has already happened and should remain in the past, therefore, that event or situation cannot be changed. Therefore, it is necessary to accept that it has already happened, that we cannot change it regardless of the person who did it or who had to do with the incident. That is why we learn to accept what happened and that in these moments and in the present we must heal and begin to improve our current situation. How? Letting go of grudges, hatred or resentments of what you have carried for a long time.
You and I both know that forgiving is not a quick fix. Forgiveness is an action. Not just saying teeth out words. For forgiveness to be legitimate it is necessary to take action, with a sensible intention to do what is necessary to forgive and be able to heal. This means that you can reduce or limit all feelings of unnecessary suffering for yourself and for the other person. Therefore, it is a process that means a “change of heart on purpose, which leads to the successful result of an active process.” Is there someone you need to forgive? Well, yes, the first step is to forgive ourselves. It is important to let go.
Therefore, forgiveness is a decision that demonstrates the power that you and I have to create awareness that there is something better. The moment we are aware that we have to forgive, it makes us realize that we have the necessary powers to consciously create everything we want: imagination, choice, and creativity. This allows us to imagine the best possible future for you and me, therefore, this means that we will focus on those feelings of happiness and deny all ideas and feelings of pain and offense to carry it out.
My dear friends, today, I invite you to make the decision not to go a step further with the bag you are carrying on your back. It may be a long process but, today make the decision to forgive, to let go of that bag, and experience what it is to walk free. I invite you to walk lightly… Give up these feelings and regain the true power of being happy.
Prayer: Open your heart:
Lord Jesus, today I am before your presence asking you to heal my soul. Help me forgive those who have hurt me. I need you to be my God of justice and I can rest in you. Amen.
Friendly advice
My dear friends, in these times of quarantine, take the time to heal old wounds. Today, I share some steps we can take to experience forgiveness in our lives. The steps to experience forgiveness are:
• Face your anger. It is important that we recognize the feelings that are altering your attitude and behavior.
• Ask God to give you the gift of forgiveness for the evils you have committed and for those who have hurt you, and make the decision to make repairs as far as possible.
• Make the decision to forgive those who have hurt you. Ask God for grace to leave others in his hands, and claim the promise that he will do you justice.
• Actively forgive. Acknowledge your pain, but allow the experience to penetrate your own wisdom, compassion, and empathy for others. So speak and behave based on your new decision to forgive.
• Discover the release from emotional prison of unforgiveness. Remember that you are not alone and that those who hurt are generally hurt too.
• Use the experience of forgiveness to help others and use the negative experience to grow in wisdom and develop a new life purpose.