Musings on forgiveness

Forgiveness in the Bible seems to be about:

Releasing people

Untying them

Setting them free

For me to truly forgive people

I need to accept them exactly as they are

Release the expectation/s I had of them

Untie them from my needs and desires in my relationship with them

Set them free from my judgements about their behaviour

Allow them to be themselves and/or to wear their desired facades (as we all do)

And love them

I may protect myself from danger

I may alter the conditions of the relationship in order to forgive myself just as much as I forgive them

I may desire a healthier relationship between us and I may even ask for one

But I forgive and accept when relationships are not the way I want them to be

I trust that in the afterlife God’s greater forgiveness will heal and release us from all relational bondage

And will reconcile us one to another