The Blessing of Forgiving
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”- Mahatma Gandhi
Forgiveness is the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven. We have all done something that we want to be forgiven for, but we don’t forgive others for the things they have done. I had a hard time dealing with forgiving people until one day I realized that the people I’m upset and angry with are living their lives. And there I was, bitter and unable to move forward with my life. If you want to experience the good in life, you must let go of grudges and hate. Forgiveness was a choice I made because I wanted to be at peace and live the life God created me for. Forgiveness allows me to be at peace in my own skin.
When you don’t forgive people, you are carrying baggage. Holding on to baggage can be so disturbing, and you can never start your healing journey without forgiving the people who wounded you. I started collecting baggage at the age of ten, and I didn’t stop until the end of 2016. The baggage was so heavy that I could no longer lift my head to look at myself in the mirror to see the person that I had become. One day I realized that I had to forgive and accept the fact that I wasn’t going to receive an apology from people who had no idea that they did me wrong or wanted to admit to doing me wrong. I was prepared to live my life and be at peace, but without forgiveness, I could not do that.
The people we allow to anger us, control us. Forgiving someone can take you to different levels in life — levels of understanding, peace, joy, and love. All of which I desired. Many people are afraid that they will forget the hurt and pain if they forgive. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you forget what happened or that it excuses their behavior; it simply releases you from their control. Healing and forgiveness is getting out of the prison that the person who hurt you has placed you in.
Life is too short to live it every day full of grudges and holding baggage. At some point in your life you, must let go of the disappointment, forgive, and start fresh. Peace is a beautiful thing, and you will never have it if you make the choice to be bitter. I pray daily for peace in the presence of the people who have wronged me.
This article was previously published on http://isurvivedinc.weebly.com/
Written by: LaToya Jenkins
