We Need To Shift Our Focus

Every single time you see them, you feel the pain all over again and the anger boils over again, and you "Just can't forgive them."  I get it.  There are people in my life who have hurt me and I still struggle with being able to forgive them.  

How many times have we recited the Lord's prayer, "And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" while we are holding on the the anger and hurt while choosing to NOT forgive them?  Here's something God has been showing me: Hanging on to the hurt and anger is just as much of a decision as it is to let go of it and forgive them.  

When I am faced with the choice to hang onto the anger or to forgive, I will hang onto whatever I am focused on.  Therefore, I need to change my focus from the person, deed, word, that caused me pain, to focus on the One who forgives me!  If we want a deeper relationship with Christ, we must remember that relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished, they thrive because the innocent are merciful.  Christ has been merciful with us, so who are we to withhold mercy from those we should forgive?

Ponder that for a bit.