Forgiveness is Like . . .

Originally written 10.8.2019, rev.2.19.25

Forgiveness is like money. It’s much easier to receive it than to give it, right? It’s much easier to ask for forgiveness than to extend forgiveness to others who hurt us, isn’t it?

And then there is sin. It’s everywhere! It’s a fact of life. It won’t just magically disappear. So, I guess we need to deal with that, too, right?

Sin and forgiveness … forgiveness and sin … I guess it all goes together as a package deal, huh?

Ugh … (this is hard).

When I think about all this, I try to remember what Jesus said in one of the most impactful statements he ever made, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”[Luke 23:34 NLT]

Seriously, my sweet, sweet Jesus … You said this as you were being nailed to the cross?

My God, my God! How could I not forgive others as You have forgiven them?

You died on the cross for me. For all of us. To be forgiven of all our debts, all our sins, all our trespasses. All of everything wrong about us.

You take what’s broken in this world, turn it to good, and love all of us anyway, including me.

 I know, I know. Some of you are probably thinking, “Yeah, sure. Jesus can do it. After all He’s God. He’s got the power to do it. He can do anything.” But by God’s grace, we have all received the power to forgive, too.

Forgiveness is powerful stuff! Forgiveness is not a convenience. It’s a gift. It is a part of our journey toward salvation and internal peace. It helps us live without the constant internal torment and pain. Forgiveness brings us peace and moves us closer to God.¹

Please know that I try to remember this when extending forgiveness.

As we have been so hurt, so have the others been hurt. And they are all God’s children just like us. Broken and hurt just as we are.

Forgiveness does not excuse the atrocity. But it is a fact of life that “hurt people hurt people” (Wilson, 2001). We can break the cycle of pain by forgiving, and in the process, receive God’s peace. We can begin to live and love again, including loving ourselves.

So yes, Lord, help us to forgive others, “as we forgive those who trespass (sin) against us.” [Matthew 6:12; NLT], including forgiving ourselves. “Thank you for forgiving me for what I’ve done wrong. Please give me the courage to forgive those who have hurt me, too. Amen.” ²

PS: A story of the rearview mirror. I was fretting over writing this piece and was just now visited by a friend, Robin. She brought me her rearview mirror and told me of a story from yesterday. She declined a kind offer from a stranger to load a free piece of curbside furniture into her van, to help her transport it back to her home. So, my dear friend in her great wisdom, declined the offer, doing it her own way, and shoved the piece of furniture into the front seat of her little car. Determined to make it fit, she slammed the car door shut, ripping the rearview mirror right off the windshield. As she was leaving my house today, she turned to me and said, “I believe there is more to it in this story. Perhaps since it was a rearview mirror, we need to leave it all behind us.”

Think about it. (Hint: It’s related to forgiveness.)

 “We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:9b)

 Isaiah 26:4

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”

“Bonnie Zickgraf is a retired pastor, RN, author, and columnist for The Times. Send comments and prayer requests to [email protected].