It is easy to get caught up in the drama that tends to come with life. Why not hold a grudge against a person who did you wrong? Why not stay angry with the person who broke your heart? I've heard it said that people can "forgive, but never forget." Why can't we just forgive AND forget? I'll just be honest with everyone, I used to be the person who forgave, but never forgot. Even though I forgave the person, I never truly let go of the anger I still felt.
At the beginning of this semester, before move-in day, all of our student leaders gathered together for Leadership Training. We talked about the rules, the Honor Code, and being good servant leaders to our school community and the surrounding town. The one thing that stuck with me most though was the talk we had about forgiveness and letting go.
I have always had a bad habit of letting my emotions rule me. When I get angry or hurt, I tend to hold tightly to those feelings. In the past few years, I've been hurt by people. Over the time that has passed, I've forgiven them and tried to move past it, but the one thing I never did was let go. I forgave, but I didn't forget. By not forgetting, I was still holding onto all the feelings of hurt, anger, and sadness that came along with the memories. Emotionally, that isn't very healthy. For me personally, holding onto those things brought stress and anxiety. Both things I already struggled with and didn't need more of.
The truth is, forgiveness isn't just about forgiving someone else. While it is true that we are forgiving someone for something they have done, it is also about us and moving past whatever it was that hurt us or made us angry. Whether it is something small or something much bigger we cannot move on unless we let go of the past. The past is already gone. Unlike in fiction, we cannot go back and fix things we or someone else have already done. It is up to us to come to terms with our feelings and move on to a new day.
One of my favorite songs is "Thy Will Be Done" by Hillary Scott. "I may never understand, that my broken heart is a part of your plan. When I try to pray all I've got is hurt and these four words. Thy will be done." Whatever you are feeling and holding onto in your life, let it go. There is a method to the madness. God's will is being done right now. Even when you're hurt, take heart, because there is something greater on the horizon.
Stop holding on. Let go of the anger, the sadness, and the hurt. Tomorrow is a new day and today is a gift from God. Make the most out of them.
