GUEST COMMENTARY: BY JEWEL EDWARDS
(EDITOR’S NOTE: I absolutely had to share this spiritually powerful essay posted on Facebook on Sunday, May 28, by Jewel Edwards as a Guest Commentary with readers of BAHAMAS CHRONICLE.)
FORGIVENESS: On this Pentecost Sunday I want to share some thoughts, practical insights, lessons, wisdom, nuggets on FORGIVENESS. Firstly, GOD commands us to forgive. Forgiveness is not always easy, but it frees us. Forgiveness is NOT accepting, overlooking, enabling, condoning or excusing wrong behavior, abuse, or violations or the perpetrator.
When you choose to forgive those who have hurt you, you take away their power. When you forgive, you heal and when you let go, you grow.
Sometimes you have to be ok with an apology you never receive and leave it to GOD. Forgive anyway. Forgiveness unblocks your blessings.
Forgiveness does NOT mean trusting. It does not mean restoration of trust. Trust is earned and re-earned. Once trust is broken, it is difficult to regain or rebuild. We are commanded to forgive, but we aren’t commanded to trust. As Christ desires us to bear fruit in response to His forgiveness, we should also look for fruits in the person we have forgiven – that they would be truly sorry for the wrong they’ve done and show signs of change. We are at liberty to either trust them or not. We’re instructed to “be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). It pays to be wise in dealing with people (Matthew 10:17), refraining from trusting in someone when there’s no proof of trustworthiness yet.
Forgiveness does not mean they are not still toxic.
Forgiveness is NOT automatic reconciliation. Forgiveness does
NOT equal reconciliation. For our own spiritual and mental well-being, we should forgive those who transgress against us. It doesn’t necessarily mean we should welcome them back into our life. Just because you forgive does not mean they are not still toxic.
Forgiveness is NOT forgetting. Forgiveness does NOT automatically eliminate or erase the memory of the wrong or violation. Life is about lessons and remembering helps us to know how to act differently and to stay away from certain people and/or situations.
We are better able to recognize the signs of what could happen again in the future and avoid getting hurt. It’s called self-respect.
Forgiveness does NOT mean you become a passive, easy, helpless doormat. We can forgive someone and not want them back in our life. Forgiveness means I’ve have to have a pure heart before GOD, you don’t hate the person; yet you learn the lesson to not let them get close enough to hurt you again. You can forgive them and not want them back in your life in the same capacity. Forgiveness does NOT mean putting them in a position to hurt you or let you down again. In fact, for self-protection, rather than anger, you may decide never to see the person again. If you’ve been deceived, violated, or victimized, justified anger affirms our self-respect. It motivates us to protect ourselves with appropriate boundaries.
Forgiveness means we have made peace with the pain and are ready to let it go, leave it to GOD and move on with your life.
Forgiveness is obeying God and leaving justice in His hands. WORD: For it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord (Romans 12:19).
Forgiveness is not about setting them free. Forgiveness is about setting us free.
#Forgiveness #LifeLessons
#LeaveItToGOD #MoveOn
