If we are going to have any healthy, growing relationships in this world, then we must put those two magical words, “I’m sorry,” into our vocabulary and use them often. With these two words comes forgiveness.
Forgiveness is the ointment of love that brings healing to our marriages and to other relationships. Without it, relationships wither and die. It requires humility to ask for forgiveness, and it takes love to forgive. But it is the only pathway to restoration for the broken relationships we all encounter.
God doesn’t ask us to ignore the hurt or wrong done to us. He simply asks us to forgive one another. Forgiveness means giving up our right, something today’s culture tenaciously holds on to. Forgiveness means giving up our right to be right. And perhaps most difficult, it means giving up our right to our self. …
The essence of forgiveness is the willingness to let go of hurts and resentments. It is the willingness to show compassion and mercy. This is possible because we were shown the ultimate mercy, complete eternal forgiveness, at the Cross.
Hope MacDonald, The Flip Side of Liberation: A Call to Traditional Values, pg.87,88
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