It Is Easy To Say I Forgive But Not Easy To Forgive

IT IS EASY TO SAY I FORGIVE, BUT NOT EASY TO FORGIVE
This word may appear very simple, but it’s pregnant with a deep meaning. It’s very easy to preach than to practice what you preach.

Jesus in today’s Gospel teaches us how to pray. The prayer is commonly known as the Lord’s prayer. Our Father, who hath in heaven…

Meanwhile, in the Lord’s Prayer, we do pray God to forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. This phrase of the Lord’s Prayer is easier said but not easy to practice. He (Jesus) went further to warn us…
“Yes, if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins either.”

Hmmm, if we do not forgive others for their sins, God will not forgive us. The question is, how many of us will enter the kingdom of heaven?
We will often say, I forgive you, but deep in the heart, the wound is hard to heal.

My dear brothers and sisters, the hardest of all Jesus’ teaching is forgiveness. Many people hurt us deliberately with the belief that he or she will be forgiven. Woe, to that person who willfully caused pain to others. God is not happy with such persons.

What makes forgiveness hard is the wound that remains in the memory. The scars of a wound are naturally hard to heal.

I will advise from experience of mine never to expect much from people anymore. The less you or nothing you expect from people, the less or no disappointment you will receive. Similarly, If you want to remain happy in life, expect disappointment from your beloved ones, once it comes, it will not shock you, and you will have nothing to forgive.

Experience of life has become my tutor to date. I want to suggest to us how to handle forgiveness which has helped me to overcome it to a greater extent.

1. Forgive because of your health. If you carry the pain in your mind, the person who offended you will be sleeping and snoring, while you will develop headaches due to a sleepless night of overthinking. The headache resulting to a migraine, and perhaps a stroke. Just let go because of your health.
2. Try to distance yourself from the person who often offends you, not as a defensive mechanism, but for the sake of your peace. Don’t romance such a person’s temptation.
3. Form the habit of thanking God that the person’s plan never works on you. Even if it is that the person destroys your body or your property, which is the hardest. Pray God to strengthen you.

Finally…
*If you value life, you will value forgiveness.
*If you are greedy, you will often be disappointed. Hence, it will be hard for you to forgive.
*If you are a very simple person, to forgive will not be hard, though it may not be easy.
*If you remember that God will not forgive, if you don’t forgive, and you want God to forgive you; then you will learn to forgive.

I pray God to grant us the grace to forgive our enemies. Life is, really, really hard; but the grace of God is sufficient. Blessings to you and your family +. “A CHRISTIAN IS NOT AN ORDINARY PERSON AND THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN IS A LIFE OF WARFARE”.

Is. 55:10-11
Ps.33:4-7,16-19. Matt. 6:7-15

Fr Emmanuel Uzoh,, (Nwa Chinemere)

Peace be with you.