Christmas: A Time of Forgiveness and Restoration

“Forgiveness is giving up the possibility of a better past.”

Christmastime can bring up many feelings especially unforgiveness and without forgiveness we won’t be able to experience restoration. Jesus was born so that we could experience restoration with the Lord. When we don’t forgive others it not only hurts our own personal growth it also hurts our relationship with God.

I am always learning more and more about forgiveness and what it means to me and my spiritual growth. Whether it’s to forgive others or to be forgiven I find this time of year always brings forth these feelings.

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  –Colossians 3:13

Not only did Jesus forgive everyone that wronged him, he commanded us to forgive one another. We cannot keep living lives separated from one another or from the Lord.

Whether it’s with your spouse, parents, siblings, children or even co-workers. You can have so much more peace in your life when you learn how to forgive others. After all, what good does it do for you to keep holding onto all those feelings that are preventing you from forgiving that person?

Forgiveness is the quickest, easiest, and long lasting way to enjoy life again.

Another thing forgiveness does is it helps us grow. Unfortunately there will be times that we have to experience the same lesson more than once. No one is excused from experiencing hurt and in turn forgiveness. It will be easy to forgive some people and yet be so hard to forgive others.

I have experienced some difficult lessons in forgiveness. I had forgiven some difficult people yet I had this horrible pride preventing me from loving them. I felt they didn’t deserve my forgiveness. I felt so hurt by their actions that I created a wall that prevented me from truly forgiving them and loving them for the way they are. I know God created each one of us and gave us beautiful gifts. Yet the thought of one of these people angered me. I wanted these people to be something they were not. At one point I even acknowledged my unrealistic expectations but was still expecting them to be someone different.

My pride kept me from forgiving them and embracing the gifts God has given them.

A few years ago I had been praying for a few months about my stubbornness and my pride. Hoping God would soften my heart so I could love them and love life. This one quote kept appearing. He sometimes has to put things in front of my face a few times before I get it. This is what I read:

“When you refuse to love people because they’re hard to love, you forget the fact that God always loves you, even though you’re not always easy to love.”

There is one formula for forgiveness and it begins and ends with love. As Jesus showed us no matter what another person has done this formula always remains the same. Jesus came here to live so that he could teach us how to forgive one another. While this time of year may be difficult it is the perfect time to forgive the people that have hurt you the most or ask for forgiveness.