Time heals nothing! You can't ignore an injury. You can't pretend the pain doesn't exist. When someone offends you or wrongs you, deal with it God's way and deal with it fast. Allowing unforgiveness to reside in your heart can crush you, shatter relationships, and hinder your walk with God. There's no time for that. When you follow Jesus Christ, forgiveness is not optional--it is essential. We have to view forgiveness God's way . . . unlimited and often completely undeserved. It is an act of the will as memorable as a funeral; grieve the loss, but then leave it behind you. If you think your hurt is too big to heal, Jesus words in Matthew 18 are clear and motivating -- forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Forgiving, like a funeral, is not easy. The hurt is real and you feel it deeply. But you have to let go. Grieve it and leave it—over and done with and properly placed in God’s hands. That’s it. God understands our inclination to harbor unforgiveness. He gave us Matthew 18 to set us straight and emphasize how critical forgiveness is. So bury the past God’s way. And walk away from the funeral free from the burden…once and for all.
