On the Flip SideSampel

Forgive and forget! How many times have you heard that? That seems to be a recipe for repeated harm. A better way to say this is: Forgive and be wise! When we're hurt, it's natural for us to feel like we want revenge.

Paul reminds us in the book of Romans not to take matters into our own hands. But how can we respond when we've been hurt? The Bible calls us to be willing to forgive, which doesn't necessarily mean that the relationship can be fully restored to what it was before. It does mean that we're given the tools to process and heal. That's right, forgiveness is part of healing and may not always be our first step. But no matter when it happens, forgiveness is a step forward. What will never work, though, is trying to take God's job into our own hands.

When have you struggled to forgive?