| | | | | | | May You Be Blessed
"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?'
Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'"
-Matthew 18:21-22
When we forgive others, we receive a gift in return. It's a simple, but powerful truth.
Author Kate Nowak explores the benefits of forgiveness in a chapter from her beautiful book, May You Be Blessed entitled Forgiving Your Blessings. I'd like to share it with you today: | | | |
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| From May You Be Blessed
by Kate Nowak | Just beyond our yard fence is a cleared field edged by dark woods. I can see this field from my study window, and often while seated at my desk, will catch some motion out of the corner of my eye, only to look out the window just in time to see deer moving from the woods into the sunny openness of the field. Heads held high, nostrils testing the air, ears keen to every sound and muscles tensed, these beautiful animals approach the field warily, even the lure of sweet, lush grass unable to override their sense of caution.
While watching the deer one day, it occurred to me that we humans behave much the same way when first we consider forgiving those who have hurt us. Like the deer, we approach with great caution, certain that in deciding to let go of our pain we are putting ourselves at risk. It is our hunger for peace and happiness, however, that beckons us, pulling us past our wariness, into the bright, warm light of this field of love.
As we venture forth into the forgiveness field we begin to understand that forgiving is not something we do for someone else, but a gift we give ourselves. We realize almost immediately that the field is not as fraught with danger as we had feared, not as filled with complexities as we had assumed. It is, instead, simplicity itself, as simple as stepping first from darkness into dappled shade, and from there into the light of a bright new day.
If the deer never emerged from the dark woods into the bright openness of the field, they might survive, but they would have to adapt to do so. We also adapt when we refuse to come out of the darkness of pain and fear and into the light of love. We harden and become bitter, as inwardly we adjust to the futility of our thinking. The longer we cling to our fears and our hatreds, the more heavy and out of balance we feel. It is only in letting go that we return to center.
We each have our own reasons for not forgiving those who have hurt us. And many times the reasons seem so valid, so totally understandable that the entire world rallies around us and supports us in our unwillingness to forgive. In truth, however, unforgiveness can never be validated because it keeps us from the light. And since light is what we are made of, it is, in essence, keeping us from ourselves.
Forgiving is not as difficult as most would think. It is as much an act of the imagination as it is anything. It dares us to think of a brighter future, one where no boundaries of right and wrong exist, but only openness and the freedom to be who we truly are. Perhaps most importantly though, it allows us to go to a place in our hearts where pain and suffering are no longer allowed to have the final word.
May you always be willing to step from the darkness of fear into the field of light that is forgiveness. | | |  | | May You Be Blessed is a wonderful book I think you will thoroughly enjoy. Filled with inspiring stories, beautiful photographs and life-changing insights, it is about joy, appreciation, kindness and love.
We arrive at life's greatest blessings by choosing to trust God in faith.
For more information, to watch the beautiful 3-minute movie or to look inside this great book, just click here.
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Live with Passion,
Mac Anderson
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