Learning to forgive

In the journey of our lives, it is no doubt that we often have conflicts with those around us. It may be conflicts with our siblings, our parents, and our partners or even close friends. It is utterly normal if such conflicts are in their normal levels. However, what happens if these conflicts are extended to long – term enmity? It truly needs to be corrected!

The word forgive is very easy to say. However, is it equally easy to practice it? It is indeed very hard on the person doing it, moreover when he knows that the mistake the other person made was a fatal mistake. If we remember the mistakes of others to us, it is not easy for us to forgive. Not only we do not forgive, we even et hatred and revenge fill our hearts. We really need to prevent all of these form happening.

I remember a friend of mine, who was so proud of his hatred to a person who was wrong to him. He easily says that he would never forgive that person who has hurt him unless he says sorry. Ironically, this friend of mine is in the ministry and he definitely knows the meaning of love and loving one another.

Some people in this world could still live peacefully though on the other hand he keeps hatred to another. He could still go to church and even pray so sincerely, even though there is still an unsolved problem in his heart with another person. All of these still happen despite the fact that in the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught us, there is a line saying, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us.” This means that God will only forgive us as long as we forgive those who sinned against us or have hurt us.

In fact, the feeling of anger itself does not stay long. However, it is the feeling of shame and high – ego that leads to prolonged enmity. Thus, they feel that it is better to keep the anger than to say sorry. And without him even noticing it, he keeps a sin, the sin of hatred.

Now, we do not know how much time we have left living in this world. Is our journey still a long run or will it end shortly? Before we are called home to our Father’s house, it is best that we finish all our problems that we have with one another. For as we know, God has first forgiven us, so why is it so difficult for us to forgive others?

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.

Ephesians 4: 26 (NKJV)

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