September 11, 2011
true forgiveness
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”– Matthew 18:35
What does it really mean to truly forgive from the heart? I once read an article that said, “Forgiveness is not a state of mind but a state of the heart.” Forgiveness doesn’t come easy for me. I find myself faced with the challenge of bringing about a change of heart that will make it fertile for the seeds of forgiveness to grow and bear fruit. And what does it take for forgiveness to take root in the heart?
It takes faith — I must believe that the Lord will change my heart so I can forgive. It takes prayer — I’m not able to forgive out of my own will so I pray to the Lord to help me. It takes trust — I trust the Lord to protect my heart and enable me to forgive even the deepest hurt inflicted on me. It takes remembering — I call to mind the many times the Lord forgives me so that I will not grow weary of forgiving others over and over again. And it takes love — I let love take over my feelings of anger, hurt and resentment so that I can show kindness to the person I have decided to forgive.
Forgiveness frees me from the burden of being the aggrieved party. It also frees the one I am forgiving from the burden of guilt and regret. Dina Pecaña (dpecana@yahoo.com)
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REFLECTION:
“Forgiveness is the economy of the heart… forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred and the waste of spirits.” (Hannah Moore)
Jesus, if I hold anything against anyone, stop me from praying. Show me the error of unforgiveness and send my heart to them to forgive them. In Your will and in Your love, make forgiveness a key stepping stone of my life.
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