One of the programs I’m running this year is a trauma rehabilitation training. A key part of the training is on the importance of forgiveness. What does it look like? Why practice it? Who deserves it? I’ve heard a lot of different answers to these questions, some accurate and some not. In response to the question, What does forgiveness look like? I came across the following answer:
“When we strive against all thoughts of revenge; when we will not do our enemies mischief, but wish well to them, grieve at their calamities, pray for them, seek reconciliation with them, and show ourselves ready on all occasions to relieve them.” Thomas Watson, Body of Divinity
Forgiveness doesn’t come easily to anyone, least of all to those who have endured the unimaginable horrors of war. But until we can practice forgiveness – even when it doesn’t seem to make any sense to do so – we will never know what freedom is like.
This is beautiful, and so very true.
Thank you so much for posting these words of wisdom.