Forgiveness is a Convoluted Process!
WWII Nazi concentration camp survivor Corrie Ten Boom related her struggle on how she had chosen to forgive but remained unable to forget the wrong done to her. She kept reliving the incident in her mind to the point she could not sleep. Finally Corrie cried out to God for help.
"God’s help came in the form of a kindly Lutheran pastor," Corrie wrote, "to whom I confessed my failure after two sleepless weeks."
‘Up in the church tower,’ he said, nodding out the window, ‘is a bell which is rung by pulling on a rope. But you know what? After the sexton lets go of the rope, the bell keeps on swinging. First ding, then dong. Slower and slower until there's a final dong and it stops. I believe the same thing is true of forgiveness. When we forgive, we take our hand off the rope. But if we've been tugging at our grievances for a long time, we mustn't be surprised if the old angry thoughts keep coming for a while. They're just the ding-dongs of the old bell slowing down.’
"And so it proved to be. There were a few more midnight reverberations, a couple of dings when the subject came up in my conversations, but the force—which was my willingness in the matter—had gone out of them. They came less and less often and at the last stopped altogether: we can trust God not only above our emotions, but also above our thoughts."[i]
Here we read a vivid account of an age-old problem. What are we to do with hurt that keeps on resurfacing after forgiveness has been granted? What are we to do with painful emotions and destructive thoughts?
The answer—CHOOSE to forgive. We can’t do anything about injustice except choose how we will react.
If I had waited until I FELT like forgiving, it would not have happened. Each day, each moment, I had to live out my decision to forgive until that bell finally stopped its’ incessant clang.
Thankfully, I can assure you the ringing stilled, my hands that desired to reach out in revenge relaxed, and peace, sweet peace soon followed.
If you place one good decision upon another, your day of freedom will come sooner than you anticipated. For Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9 NIV
Forgiveness creates peace withing your soul. This in turn generates peace in your circumstance because you willingly surrender your right to justice and trust God with the judgement.
How freeing to no longer carry the heavy weight of revenge and hatred!
You will never look back!
The cross can appear strangely distant when it comes time to forgive, because it uncomfortably makes us face the fact that it represents the forgiveness of ALL SIN.
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About the author
Blossom Turner is an award-winning novelist, and a free-lance writer published in Chicken Soup and Kernels of Hope anthologies, and former newspaper columnist on health and fitness. A Word Guild semi-finalist for Anna's Secret, Katherine's Arrangement, Amelia’s Heartsong, and a Word Guild winner for Best Romance for Lucinda’s Defender. She has found her home in the writing of historical fiction but is open to wherever God leads. The many 5-star reviews attest to the power of love and romance authentically woven into the Shenandoah Bride Series about five sisters and their five love stories.
Blossom lives in British Columbia, Canada, with her husband, David, of forty years and their dog Lacey named after Lacey Spring, Virginia, where this series takes place. A former businesswoman, personal trainer, and mother of two grown children she is now pursuing her lifelong dream of writing full-time. A hopeless romantic at heart, she believes all story should give the reader significant entertainment value. However, her writing embodies the struggles of real life. She infuses the reality of suffering with the hope of Christ to give a healthy dose of relatable encouragement to her reader. Her desire is to leave the reader with a yearning to live for Christ on a deeper level, or at the very least, create a hunger to seek for more.
Co-author Suzie Zanewhich
Suzie is a certified life coach, leader of emotional health, and resource specialist. She has found her niche as a soul coach.
Suzie finds purpose in empowering individuals to move towards growth, healing, and alignment with their authentic self. Suzie is driven by a calling to live authentically, as the person God created her to be, to reach her fullest potential and lead others to do the same. Her passion is to help others find meaning through discovering their strengths, gifts, personality, temperament and core values.
Suzie is a life-long learner, continuously immersing herself in new courses to learn more about human behaviour, relationships, psychology, child development, emotions, trauma and healing. Because of her craving to always learn more she has earned the title of resource specialist in the area of self-discovery.
Suzie Zanewich lives with her husband in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She has a patchwork family of four grown children, two daughters, two sons and three granddaughters.
Comments 3
Guest - Diann Turner
on Thursday, 09 August 2012 02:47
Hi Blossom!
I just read your blog on forgiveness. Oh how I can relate to the need to forgive. It starts
with my Mom. I also believe we are not forgiven if we cannot forgive. Thank you for
sharing candidly.
Guest - Blossom Turner
on Saturday, 11 August 2012 10:41
How very true! The cross becomes infinitely powerful when coupled with His precious word...For Jesus did not make a mistake when He prayed..."Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." He believed them so much He died on that tree. What a chilling thought to remember it was my sin that nailed Him there.
Guest - Diann Turner
on Saturday, 11 August 2012 09:21
Hi Blossom!
Enjoying your blog!! We all can learn from the Lord's Prayer:
"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
Against us."
So fundamental, yet so easily overlooked!