forgive someone...

forgive someone. I know, I know. This is probably one of the most difficult things God requires from us - to forgive others. So, I won't ask you to try to forgive everyone in your life that has ever hurt you, we're going to narrow this down to one person. But there's an important twist...

Think of the person who has hurt you the most in your life. Who is the one that has either intentionally or unintentionally caused you the most pain? For many of us, we won't have to think long or hard to pick out this person. For others, it may take more thought but we all have someone who has done something to us that we've never gotten over. Today, we need to forgive that person. We need to forgive them completely. We can't say it today and then hold that grudge again tomorrow. We need to give it to God and let it go. We need to, with full hearts and complete conviction, forgive that person (whether they have asked for it or not). Think of all the things Christ forgives for each one of us. We are blessed that He doesn't hold a grudge or wish us harm because we've hurt Him - and we all know we've hurt Him during our lives. Forgiveness is so difficult for us to give but we live by a double standard because even without giving it we all still want to receive an endless supply of forgiveness from God. So let it go, give up the pain and the anger, the moral indignation, the outrage, the despise and forgive that person today. If you can truly forgive them today, you will be free tomorrow and for the rest of your life. Don't be a prisoner to pain and to the past. Don't let your inability to forgive hold you back anymore. Pray, fill your heart and mind with Christ's grace and love, and forgive that person now and forever.

So, for today I will forgive someone. We will pray for all the strength, compassion, grace and peace that we need in order to be able to do this. We will fill our hearts with Christ's love and all that He does for us and we will forgive this person and not look back. We will realize that if we can forgive the person who has hurt me the most, we will be able to better forgive others in our lives. We will learn that forgiveness is freeing and brings peace. This may not be easy, but it's a step we need to take.