For many of us, there is a certain someone that has offended or wronged us to the point where forgiveness would seem to be weak and unjust, we think ‘why should this person get off so lightly!’ however, the truth is: ’There is no weakness in forgiveness.’
Easier said than done I know. My husband was stabbed many years ago by a gang of thieves; he was left bleeding in a township and went from door to door for help but kept getting turned away. He looked through keyholes, and what he saw was sad beyond words; alcohol, violence, shouting, and screaming. My husband was angry for weeks thinking about how he was going to take revenge and how he should have retaliated at the time, but only when he forgave them, did he have an incredible healing and feel at peace about the whole thing.
In Matthew 5:43 it says: ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’. Everyone is doing the very best that they can, they may fall very short of your expectations of them but love them anyway. This does not mean you have to accept the behaviour, separate the person from their behaviour. Like I mentioned in my last article, love is our true nature and that goes for anyone who many be offending you. It’s only stress and a lack of knowing this that leads people to behave in unfavourable ways.
Forgiveness is not to help the persecutor, it’s to help the persecuted. Do whatever it takes to save your own mind. Think of someone who has wronged you and pay attention to how you feel inside? Small and contracted right? Now think of your favourite person, are you aware of how the love expands in you? Now give that same love to anyone or any situation that troubles you. Would you dig through yesterdays garbage bin? Why do that in your mind? Anything that has happened before today is history so forgive and let go.
