Forgive, forgive, forgive.

“If you do not forgive; neither will your Father, which is in Heaven, forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:26)

Forgive, forgive, forgive. I have probably written more about forgiveness than any other subject.  It is something I really get up on my soap box for because it is so vital to our emotional, physical and spiritual well being. Carrying anger, hate and guilt along with us makes us miserable, unproductive and ugly. Research has shown that these things can affect our physical bodies, our health and our resistance to disease as well as our outlook on life.  

Still knowing all of this and preaching it, in all honesty, I must admit that I am as susceptible to anger and guilt as anyone else. At the moment being peaceful and loving toward mankind I can’t remember ever hating anyone. I hate the things we humans do, but at the moment I cannot remember hating anyone.

It is not wrong or unchristian to get angry. Anger is a valuable emotion that tells us when something is wrong. Fear is anger’s brother and also sounds the alarm for us. The problem is in holding on to these emotions after the situation is over. The hardest part is letting go completely.  It does not mean that we should not learn from the experience. We may learn that we, they, or both have a weakness that we simply have to accept.

My father used to say that a cornered animal will fight and so will we. Knowing that is for our safety. There are certain individuals that I know are going to push my buttons, and I may be called upon to defend that which I know to be true just as Jesus chased the money changers out of his Father’s sacred house. He did not chase them down yell after them and injure them or slander them. He asked them to leave and knocked over their tables to let them know he meant business. It is important to know when to quit. It is good when I am in such a situation that I am able to be forceful and yet calm, but it doesn’t always happen that way.