THE BRIDGE OF FORGIVENESS -- Devotional for September 28, from "Good Seeds"

Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32: Colossians 3:13)

Someone once said, “He who will not forgive another breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.” That’s right: to withhold forgiveness is to prevent progress. A person with an unforgiving spirit is like a frontier wagon getting stuck in a bog of mud – you might as well forget about traveling any further: your life may not be over, but it has come to a complete standstill. And you can even forget about trying to make camp for the night. When we get stuck somewhere we might think, “Well, this isn’t so bad! I’ll just settle down and live for a time, or for the rest of my time, right here.” That may work in the case of an injury or a handicap, where you know you can no longer do what you formerly did, or go where you formerly went. “That’s okay,” you tell yourself, “I can live with this new restriction on my life, and even try to make a good life for myself in spite of it all.” That’s the commendable trait of contentment. But contentment and an unforgiving spirit cannot dwell together, for this is not a just an inconvenient alternative environment you’re in – it’s a prison you’re in! That’s right: when you refuse to forgive someone who has hurt you, you handcuff yourself from doing positive, creative things, and lock yourself into a lifestyle of revenge, even hatred – a prison house indeed! When you refuse to forgive someone who has offended you, you restrict yourself from going certain places or doing certain things – even from enjoying certain pleasures – because you must maintain a certain distance from that person. When you refuse to forgive another, you pick open the scab that needs to be left alone in order to allow for eventual healing. To nurse a grudge is to nourish its growth to epic proportions, into a giant of hideous visage and diabolical strength! Refusing to forgive takes on a life of its own, where you no longer have control of your decisions, for you have given that authority over to the one you resent. He may not even be aware of it – and surely would refuse it if he knew – but he’s the one in charge now. The third level of conflict between human beings is personal aggravation, where one person has injured or offended another. In order for healing to take place there must be a confrontation, where the grievance is addressed, the facts of the offense are spelled out, compensation is made, and forgiveness is requested and granted. Reconciliation is the glorious result. You’ve heard of addicts submitting to detoxification – well, forgiveness is spiritual detox. Without it, you remain addicted to your drug of choice; you remain in your own prison; you remain stuck in the mud. And all life progress is halted on the ugly side of the bridge! No wonder the Bible says, “Forgive one another”!