Life Happens. Live Anyway
Dr. Sheryl K. Randolph
Day 1 of 5: Practice Forgiveness
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. —Ephesians 4:32 (ESV)
Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven —Luke 6:37 (KJV)
Forgiving others is not easy to do. When you are betrayed or disappointed, you likely do not have immediate feelings of leniency and kindness towards the culprit of wrongdoing. On the contrary, the desire to seek revenge, wishing to reciprocate the pain, and wanting to retaliate are raw emotions that you may experience. Allowing those negative emotions to take over is a common response. But embracing the truth that forgiveness is a choice – and not a feeling – will help you grow into your full purpose. You can exercise the power of choice and forgive even when you do not feel like doing it.
In my book Life Happens. Life Anyway., I talk about your choice to respond in a positive manner to life’s circumstances. Consider Joseph who forgave his brothers for selling him into slavery. He eventually became their king and provided food, protection and security for them during uncertain times of drought and hardship. God positioned Joseph to be a blessing to the brothers who betrayed him, and he was able to fulfill that purpose because he chose to maintain a posture of forgiveness.
Allowing the toxicity of unforgiveness to take root in your heart stunts your growth and potentially jeopardizes blessings for your future. Ultimately, forgiveness is not for the benefit of the wrongdoer; it is for you. It just so happens to work out as a favor to the forgiven.
Making a daily decision to be compassionate to those around you—even the ones who’ve hurt you—is a healthy practice that releases toxicity from your mind and makes room to be well, healed and ready to serve your fellow man.
Prayer for today Lord, You are eternally gracious and merciful to me. Help me to forgive my neighbor even before it is asked for. I seek Your strength to work through the pain of disappointment, and I pray You will teach me to release it. Help me to choose actions of compassion, sensitivity and kindness as my continual daily posture so that forgiveness becomes a fundamental part of my character.
Dr. Sheryl K. Randolph (she/her)
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