At some point forgiveness is the only path left. Or, more accurately, the only path that actually leads you out of the forest. How do I know? Because I’ve tried the other paths…seclusion, bitterness, and regret etc. And eventually they lead you in circles and you end up passing by the path marked ‘forgiveness’ again and again. You see it, know in the back of your head that it’s better than the path you’re on, but are still afraid (or, more truthfully, too proud) to try it. Now, to be clear, forgiveness doesn’t mean that you forget everything or don’t come out of the forest scratched, scarred, and sometimes bleeding. Those marks will probably be with you a long time, possibly the rest of your life. But when you make a mistake, or are accused, and you forgive, I believe you start to see the more complete picture. It’s the give and take of the world, and our Christian lives, to forgive and in turn be forgiven by those we hurt. It’s what Christ did for us. He has scars from what He went through for us. And part of learning how to walk on His path means dying to ourselves and learning to forgive others in the same way He forgave us. I’m getting to practice this in my own life now and while it was very difficult, especially today, for me to forgive ; I realize that it’s a chance to practice what so many others have shown to me in my life. Really, it boils down to changing my pride into humility. I’m not there yet…I’m still in the woods but I’ve decided to try the path marked forgiveness. The words of Jesus when teaching us how to pray have really come alive tonight. “…and forgive us our debts…as we forgive our debtors…”
