Forgiveness is freeing

Salaam!

What is one of the hardest things you have ever done in your life? You might recall difficult tasks or great achievements, but can I be honest? Among the most difficult things I ever had to do was forgive the people who hurt me the most. There are only a few people in my life who have deeply wounded me, and letting go of those offences wasn’t easy.

Is this the case for you, too? Or perhaps for someone you know?

The Bible tells us to forgive others:

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you”. – Colossians 3:13

When you forgive someone who hurt you, you’re not doing them or even God a favour. God gave this instruction for your benefit.

You might think, ‘They don’t deserve my forgiveness; what they’ve done is unforgivable!!’ You may be right. However, forgiving them is still important. Why? Because forgiving them will bring you freedom!

"Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”
- Marianne Williamson

The offence is like a seed of evil in your heart. If you hold on to it, it can take root, and other weeds, like bitterness, anger, and resentment, will start growing. But when you choose to forgive, you uproot those things, allowing God to grow good things within you.

This is not just Biblical wisdom; it’s a psychological principle as well. Studies have shown that practising forgiveness can improve our mental and physical health–it’s a chamatkar!

I’d like to ask you to make a list of people and their wrongdoings that have hurt you, especially those you haven’t been able to forgive yet. In the coming days, we will work together towards forgiveness. It might seem impossible now, but trust me, it’s worth it!

Hey! You are a Chamatkar.

Cameron Mendes

P.S. The texts of this reading come from the daily email Chamatkar Every Day. If you would like to receive daily encouragement, I invite you to subscribe to Chamatkar Every Day.