Forgiveness is a Choice

photo (2) For any mother of boys, or any married women for that matter, a must read is John Eldridge's Wild at Heart. Discovering the Secret to a Man's Soul. I read it in high school, and coming from a family of three girls it gave me lots of insight into the world of boys. I read it again in college and thought it was interesting in a new way. I remember reading his words, "in the heart of every man is a desperate desire for a battle to fight, an adventure to live and a beauty to rescue."

Part of what I read recently that caught my eye was, "A boy wants to attack something- and so does a man even if it's only a white ball on a tee." My three boys show this inner desire day in and day out. They find a new toy, get a few minutes of play out of it, then see what happens when you throw it. Or crash it. Or drop it off of the bed into "the sea do water filled with sharks!" The element of danger is important.

But back to my point, in the book Neil Anderson is quoted, "Don't wait to forgive until you feel like forgiving, you will never get there. Feelings take time to heal after the choice to forgive is made." When we extend forgiveness it is not saying "It didn't really matter." But, by forgiving we are releasing that person.

In Romans 8 it says, "When God looks at you he does not see your sin. He has not one condemning thought towards you." If that is how God sees us, and he knows our every fault, then we should look on our brothers and sisters in Christ the same way. By making amends with someone in our life we can inspire greatness in their life. Challenge yourself to forgive someone who has really hurt you... and see what good may come of it!