Forgiveness Heals the Heart

As we journey through life, it is inevitable that we will experience pain, emotional hurts, or even trauma.  These experiences leave an indelible impression on our hearts. If we try to hide them and don’t work to process the emotions attached to them, they can manifest as psychological and physical illnesses.
                                                 

For some of us, it seems natural to deal with pain by lashing out angrily, blaming the person or thing that is causing the hurt; and to build up resentments that can have damaging effects on our own health and destroy our relationships.  For others, the anger turns inward, blaming oneself and resulting in depression and apathy.  We may also choose to hide from the painful experience, cutting ourselves off from loved ones or friends who have done things that we find hurtful.  Each one of these is a very human way to deal with pain.

True healing, however, comes only through the power of forgiveness.  Although this is difficult, if not impossible, to do on our own strength, we can ask for Divine assistance to forgive, forget and let go.  

Corrie Ten Boom, who was arrested for hiding Jews during WWII and survived the horrors of a concentration camp, was once asked to do the seemingly impossible: after giving a speech on the power of forgiveness, she was approached by one of her former prison guards, who told her that he had become a Christian and asked her if she could forgive him for what he had done.  By an extraordinary act of will and prayer that filled her with a supernatural healing warmth, she was able to extend her hand and forgive this man who had inflicted so much pain.  This experience brought her extraordinary release and her tears flowed freely.

Thankfully, most of have not experienced the horrors of a concentration camp, but our painful experiences are very real and can loom large in our lives.  Only forgiveness has the power to set us free from the past and give us the strength and peace we need to move forward.

                                                             Meditation for today:

Breathe deeply and slowly to the count of 4; breathe out to the count of 8; visualize someone who has hurt you and who you need to forgive.  Imagine that person bathed in light and ask for the strength to release the pain and forgive. 

 Then release, let go of the past and be free...