"Forgive"

Don’t ask me to forgive ‘em,

Because I never will,

That’s what they said about it,

They took a bitter pill.

They held onto the anger,

Relived it every day,

They said they had a right to,

And get even with some way.

And so the months and years passed,

Like they always do,

Life went on without ‘em,

‘Cause they were stuck, it’s true.

Trapped by what had happened,

Imprisoned by the pain,

If you said reconsider,

They’d rehearse it all again.

Then that bad old culprit,

Whom they would not forgive,

Did one more thing to hurt ‘em,

They died, and no more live.

And the object of resentment,

That never went away,

No longer walked on this earth,

But the unforgiveness stayed.

Outlived the one it hated,

‘Cause no doubt there was hate,

Draining good emotions,

And closing grace’s gate.

So let this be a warning,

Let God heal you quick,

Don’t hold onto what is painful,

‘Cause it will make you sick.

It’s not about who hurt you,

Or the thing you suffered then,

Or if they will apologize,

And be sorry for their sin.

But only your own progress,

And growth and freedom, too,

Forgive them all for Jesus,

Just like Jesus forgave you.

“Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many…” (Heb. 12:15, NLT)

Bitterness is a poisonous root that comes from a poisonous seed. The grace of God is sent to heal the wound before it poisons us and our relationships. But if we don’t respond to the grace God gives, our hurts devolve into something that ruins us and others. Giving forgiveness as freely as God has forgiven us is the goal, made possible only by His healing grace. By His wounds we are healed…

Lord, help us to forgive all of them, in Jesus’ name.

Art by JaNeil Anderson, janeilanderson.com. Used by permission. Thanks, JaNeil, and God bless you.