Forgiveness

To forgive means taking a person as they are – strengths and flaws. 

It means not clinging to past hurts or resentments caused by someone. 

It is about accepting the imperfections of a person.

Forgiveness can be hard.

To be able to truly forgive, however, you must forgive yourself first. 

To forgive means taking me as I am – strengths and flaws.

It means not clinging to the past hurts or resentments I’ve caused someone.

It is about accepting my imperfections.

Takes a bit of a different tone, doesn’t it?  Forgiveness can be hard, really hard.  The best things in life never come easy.  However, there are few things more beautiful and few ways to live more peacefully than to be able to give and receive forgiveness. 

To give forgiveness, you must know forgiveness and to know forgiveness, you must accept it yourself, from yourself first.

There is only One person that has ever walked this Earth that has had no imperfections and although people have tried to play that role throughout history – including all of us in some way – no one ever has or ever will come close.  Yet the One with no imperfections is constantly forgiving us. 

Take some time to forgive today.  Start with yourself, even if it is something small to begin with. 

Besides, it is arrogant of us not to forgive ourselves when God already has.