I was very angry at someone who had disappointed and hurt the feelings of someone I love dearly. Being mad kept me all stirred up the entire 12 hour shift I worked. It ruined my attitude and even made my stomach physically hurt.
Finally -- much later than it should have been, I am afraid to say -- when I decided to forgive that person, everything felt so much sweeter. It was as if a coat of bitterness had been taken off of me. The strange thing about it was that the person never even had any knowledge that I was mad at them, much less that I had forgiven them. Everything occurred within me, everything affected me. They just went along with their lives.
Had I decided early on in the experience to forgive this person, I would have forgone a great deal of distress, both emotional and physical. It was what the Lord wanted for me and I was so much happier when I finally made that decision.
You see, there is always forgiveness with the Lord. He wants to forgive us more than we want to be forgiven. He "delighteth in mercy." He is our example for forgiveness and mercy. Let us be ready to shed forth forgiveness and mercy to those around us as our Lord is ready to forgive and shed His mercy to us.
"For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive;
and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee."
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