When Forgiveness Is Hard

Read: Colossians 3:12-14

“No!” Tula ran into her room and slammed the door. “She left us. I’m not forgiving her. Ever!”

She dove headfirst into her pillows and burst into tears. It had been three years since Mom left. Two years since her last phone call. Now she wanted to be a part of Tula’s life again? Even though she was married to someone else and had a new baby? It wasn’t right.

Dad came into the room and sat down on the edge of Tula’s bed. “I know this is hard, Tula, but your mom does love you. She wants you to know she’s sorry she hurt you.”

“What she did was wrong!”

“It was. But I did a lot of wrong things too, and you forgave me.”

“But you didn’t leave me,” Tula said into her pillow.

“Maybe not, but some of my choices hurt you just as much as your mom’s did.”

The bed shifted as Dad leaned forward and grabbed a book off her nightstand. She didn’t have to look to know it was her Bible.

“I wonder what God says we should do in a situation like this,” Dad said.

Tula groaned. She knew exactly what God said she should do, but she wasn’t ready to stop being mad. Not yet. “She doesn’t deserve to be forgiven.”

“Can you imagine what it would be like if Jesus had said that about us?”

Tula shivered. Not being forgiven by Jesus? That would be awful. She rolled over and sat up. “I wouldn’t like that.”

“Me neither. So, if Jesus can forgive us for hurting Him, shouldn’t we do the same when someone hurts us?”

Tula thought for a moment before nodding. “Yes, but I’m gonna need help. Forgiving is hard.”

“We’ll help each other,” Dad said as he hugged Tula. “And God will help us too. Because He forgave us for our sins, we’re able to forgive others. That doesn’t mean the hurt magically goes away. But when we forgive others, we allow Him to start healing our broken hearts. I think I’m ready for that.”

Tula hugged Dad back. “I think I’m ready for that too.”

–Jennifer Lindsay

How about you? Is there someone in your life you need to forgive? Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you’re saying what they did was okay. It means you’re allowing God to step into the situation and begin healing your heart and the heart of the person who hurt you. When we forgive, we’re showing others the love Jesus has shown us. Trust Him to help you forgive, even when it’s hard.

Today’s key verse: And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)

Today’s key thought: Forgiveness brings healing