Reminding Ourselves to Forgive

We often picture forgiveness as a single moment—not a journey. We imagine a moment of tears as each party repents and asks the other for forgiveness. We imagine hugs and handshakes. What we don’t usually imagine is a journey. But what if a journey is a more apt description? What if forgiveness isn’t only a moment, but also a journey of reminding ourselves of the forgiveness received and given? What if forgiveness is refusing revenge and bitterness?

Throughout middle school and high school, I had the same core group of friends. The group morphed and changed somewhat, but there were five of us who remained constant. We did everything together, and whenever the teachers allowed us to pick our own groups for activities and projects, we clung to each other. We ate lunch at the same table every day. We watched movies, read books, prayed, and volunteered together. We attended youth group and conferences together. We were inseparable. 

Until, one day, we were not.

I'm over at Gospel-Centered Discipleship today, sharing this story of a fractured friendship, our journey towards forgiveness, and how I learned that forgiveness is often a practice that happens even after we have said, "I forgive you."