I already forgave you, so why do I still feel like this?

Corrie Ten Boom was wronged by fellow Christians when they spoke of her maliciously and falsely in public. When Corrie learned of what had happened, she was shocked and hurt. Yes, she knew that there was only one thing to do: forgive them. This was a small task in light of what she formerly had to do: forgive Germans who had imprisoned her at Ravenshbrück Concentration Camp.

Corrie did forgive them. But then during the night she would waken and replay the offense in her mind. And the bitter feelings would return, robbing her of peace and joy. Finally she poured out her heart to her pastor and confessed that she had two sleepless weeks because of it. He said, “Corrie, up in the church tower is a bell that is rung by pulling on a rope. When the sexton pulls the rope, the bell peals out ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong. But if he doesn’t keep pulling on the rope, the sound slowly fades away. Forgiveness is like that. When we forgive someone we take our hand off the rope.”

If you are like that, remember that forgiveness is also like dropping a large rock into a lake. There’s one big splash as the rock hits the surface of the water. That’s the initial release you get when you forgive someone. Then there is a series of small ripples or waves that follow the big kerplop of the rock. They represent the times you are going to have to say, “Look, I forgave that person. I refuse to keep dwelling on the wrong I sustained.”

Forgiveness is the only path that leads away from the scene of the wrong you sustained. Thank God there is a way out.

Used with permission from Guidelines Philippines, Inc. To learn more about Guidelines and the ministry, please write to Box 4000, 1280 Makati City, Philippines or e-mail address [email protected]. You may also visit our website at www.guidelines.org.