Let It Go!

 And forgive us our debts, 

As we forgive our debtors. 

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  Matthew 6:12, 14-15 (NKJV) 

I was at a Leadership Conference this past week.  It taught me several things such as how to better manage my time and building trust in challenging time.  Later in the conference, I listened to a conversation about forgiveness.  It was very humbling.  Strangely, it was not something I thought that I needed work on.  It’s not that I am prideful when I say such a thing. Instead, it was to note that I have dealt with a lot in my life that I too have struggled to forgive.  At times, it comes up when my daughter does something where I find myself battling to find the ability to trust her.  But I have received many lessons on my forgiving others.  A relative who betrayed a trust, a parent who wrongfully accused me, and a friend who stole from me are all situations where I once failed to forgive.  However, I found the strength later to do so.  Yet, it was when I was wrong and forgiven where forgiveness had its greatest impact on me.  When my wife forgave me for doing something hurtful, it was a reminder of my role as a husband to love, honor, and cherish her.  It showed something I could not learn on my own; how God’s forgiveness is so great.  It was an Elsa moment for me.  I ‘let it go.’ 

Forgiveness is an essential part of spiritual growth.  In the Lord’s prayer, it spoke of forgiving as we are forgiven.  It’s but a small piece of the Lord’s Prayer but note one thing about it.  It is the one part that requires our own action.  We ask for God’s forgiveness, but we are to forgive others.  This is not one of those ‘well it would be nice if’ comments.  It is a clear expectation by God that we too are to forgive.  Not as in the future. But in the now.  We cannot have any expectation of His forgiveness if we ourselves cannot model His example.  I was reminded of the sins of David in 2 Samuel 24 where he asked God for forgiveness because of his wrongdoings to help ease the pain of Israel’s plague.  But God’s forgiveness of him was not taken haphazardly.  It was a precious commodity that had immense value, and as a result, David grew closer to God and God to him.  Jesus understood this in teaching the Lord’s Prayer.  Yes, it covers our sinful nature, which needs forgiveness.  But it’s our awareness of the need for forgiveness and heartfelt regret that makes it so much more valuable, and if we understand that value, how great is it to forgive others. 

Additionally, when we forgive, we also give ourselves permission to let it all go.  All the pain, hurt, and resentment that has taken up space in our minds and hearts become open to things that God wants to place there; love, peace, and joy.  Those two sets of things cannot co-exist in the same space.  As such, if we forgive, we also gain greater room for those things that matter most not only to God but also ourselves. 

God’s love for us is multidimensional.  Peace, joy, and abundance are attributes that are gained from it.  None of this is possible had Jesus not paid the ultimate price for our sins.  Yet by claiming Him as Lord of our lives, we are forgiven.  If we truly understand the weight of this, we should understand the impact of forgiving others.  It can not only bring them to the realization of their err of their ways, but more importantly, it frees us from the bondage of our own suffering and pain.  Let us appreciate both God’s gift of forgiveness as well as the freedom of forgiving.  What pain are you holding in today that needs forgiveness?  Who can you show grace in the spirit of forgiveness?  My prayer is we recognize the strength and power of not only God’s forgiveness but also our own, and simply, let it go!  Amen.