A Prisoner By Choice?
Posted on September 3, 2014 by lightthelie
Go with me for a moment to a place that will hurt. Think for just a moment about the person in your life that makes you cringe. The one you don’t want to think about. I’m sorry I’m making you go there right now, I understand it’s hard. What are you feeling right now? Hurt, broken, sorrow, pain, anger, confusion, hate?
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This person that hurt you, the one that never asked for forgiveness, continues to hurt you time and time again. Except, they only had to act it out one time. Maybe they aren’t even in your life anymore? Maybe you haven’t seen them in years? Why is it that the pain still feels so real? Why does it feel as if a knife is stabbing at your heart?
This person gets to go about life and seem pretty well off. Maybe they are truly evil and have no remorse for how they hurt you. So why do they get to go about life while we are stuck feeling broken and hurt?
Why do we keep ourselves locked up in a prison when someone else hurts us? We tell ourselves that by staying mad at them, we hold the power over the relationship. But it is so false. Forgiveness is the only way to overcome this pain. Even if they never ask for forgiveness, give it to them anyway. Let go of the anger and bitterness. Let go of the hurt and the pain.
One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is that we can’t forgive someone because what they did was unforgivable. But only after we have truly forgiven someone are we able to start becoming whole again. We are able to find healing. There is nothing that can’t be forgiven.
Don’t ever let someone take away your happiness. That’s not theirs to take! When we choose to not forgive we are also choosing to feel the pain. We are choosing to be their prisoner–and they don’t even know it.
Friends, forgiveness does not mean you are saying what happened was okay. It wasn’t okay. It was so so wrong. You didn’t deserve it. But, you also don’t deserve to continue hurting because of it.
Let go of the chains that you have been holding onto for so long. You can do it! It helps to talk to someone about it and I would be honored to be that person. Here is to a life of forgiveness and freedom!