Forgiveness

Five years ago, a knock at the door and lives would be changed forever. Opening the door to an FBI investigator, at that moment I had no idea just what God would expect me to forgive. Yet five years later, here I sit, able to say "You are forgiven"

Today I am GRATEFUL for the power of forgiveness!

It took a while. Bitterness. Anger. Resentment. That all got in the way.

What is forgiveness really? Although very simple, the definition I like best is "Forgiveness is releasing all desires for revenge and negative emotions attached to the person you are forgiving" 

BUT

There is more to it than that - or at least for me there is.

The day I knew that there was true forgiveness was the day that I thought about the person and there was a real feeling of compassion. Not just an absence of negative but the presence of a desire for the person to healed from the hurts that caused them to hurt others.

Because of what was done, very few people would argue a need to forgive the person. In fact many would argue a right to hold onto anger and bitterness. The vengeful thoughts encouraged by many. After all the events that lead up the FBI knocking at the door were truly horrendous. Yet there are the few, who know and understand the power of forgiveness. I am grateful for their presence in my life.

Forgiveness moved my life into a place of beauty and joy untold that would never have been experienced if I held onto the unforgiveness. Today I am grateful for FORGIVENESS and all that it has done in my life!