Release Me

Okay so...I went to church last night for Wednesday night service. The speaker's general topic was forgiveness. He spoke dynamically about the power of forgiveness. He dealt extensively with the importance of understanding that forgiveness typically does more for the forgiver than for the one which is being forgiven. When we choose not to forgive, but instead carry around grudges, anger, hate and the like, that burden exists with us. It is a weight that we continue to carry whether the other person or persons involved care or think anything about it. And I thought to myself...how true! When I think of those that I believe have wronged or hurt me in some way, I tend to become irritable or angry or sad all over again. That is my weight. My burden. Not theirs. That is taking up space in my heart that could be otherwise occupied by something better and greater. The British/English equivalent of forgive/forgiveness is release. Release the pain. Release the anger. Release the hurt. Release the resentment. And eventually, release the burden. The concept makes perfect sense to me. Now, I just have to figure out how to do it. Can I give that which was not asked? If those who have wronged me have never apologized and asked me to forgive them, can I truly do so? Presumably, the answer is yes. If it were not, that would mean that everyone we come in contact with would have the master controls over our lives and hearts. I can't be turning 50 and still talking about how some girl spread rumors about me when I was 15 and never apologized! Forgiveness is really independent of he or she who is to be forgiven. The power of forgiveness rests in the hands of he or she who does the act of forgiving. There is no need for confession or confirmation or approval on anyone else's part. We could wait and waste a lifetime on hoping someone else will recognize and own up to the fact that they have done us wrong. But, clearly, a lifetime is far too long to be "unreleased." To release is to let go. To release is to free. To release is to find ease. To release is find peace. So, to the little hardened corners of hurt, anger and resentment I own, I say simply, RELEASE ME.

(Sounds good, huh? This puts me on what I'm sure is like a 100 step plan to forgiveness...lol. I would look for a forgiveness class to take somewhere...but, I already have one...church...)