The Lasso Way Exemplo

In yesterday’s reading I mentioned the truth my professor in college said to our class one day: “Hurt people, hurt people.”  Without giving too much away from the series, there is a moment when Ted is confronted with an unfortunate reality. He learned some cold, hard truths and he had a decision to make. He could choose to be mad, hurt, and bitter, or he could choose to forgive. Although it wasn’t easy, Ted chose forgiveness.

Forgiving others for the hurt they have caused us is never easy. Let’s not pretend that it is. If it were, there would be many more people walking around this Earth with less bitterness, anger, and resentment. Forgiving others is not easy.  It is difficult.  It can take years to finally release, but it is something we are called to do.

In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote about the need to forgive one another.

Ephesians 4:32 says, “Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” It is inevitable that people are going to hurt us. Some hurts will take longer to heal, but that should never keep us from pursuing forgiveness. When we choose forgiveness, we are allowing the Father to free us from bondage, hurt, and pain.

Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:13 that God has forgiven us.  Because the Lord has forgiven us, we are to forgive others.  God has done this through Christ. We are forgiven, and this means we must work toward forgiving others. It is not always an easy road, but it is well worth crossing. 

On the flip side, knowing that we are not perfect ourselves, there is a good chance that others have forgiven us.  We make mistakes.  We have intentionally or unintentionally hurt others and they have forgiven us.  As our lives are being transformed by the grace and love of God, we are called to live differently.  We are to forgive as we have been forgiven.

Ask the Father to help you begin this journey towards forgiveness if you haven’t already.  I promise you will not regret it.