Forgiving Others When They Give You Scars

   There’s an old saying that goes “forgive and forget.” People may hurt you but we are called to forgive them. People may “cut” you but wounds heal. People may scratch you but if you think of them as sandpaper you will end up polished and they’ll end up useless.

That’s what we are told to believe. But, in my experience, after wounds heal scars come in their place. And, after you polish something it may seem like new; but new nicks and scratches can show up.

   Why do we get scars and scratches when we are hurt? Some people may say it’s because of our body healing us; but I personally have found that people like to show off their scars (I’m talking mostly about athletes here). They like to tell others what they’ve been through. That’s all well and good if it happened in a game, but what about the metaphorical scars people leave on you?

   Do you like to complain to others about what you are going through? And, I’m not talking about venting here. I’m talking about complaining; and there is a difference. In complaining to others it’s not helping the situation; and it’s not helping you forgive. That’s why I say we need to forgive and remember.

   The principle behind this is that so many people say they forgive someone but they keep bringing up what that person did to them. Some people do this to make the other person feel guilty, while others just want to hurt the person back. But, in bringing up what you say you have already forgiven means you haven’t actually forgiven the person.

   That’s why we need to remember when we forgive others. We cannot continue to hold issues over peoples’ heads because that’s not forgiveness. I believe that’s the reason why we have metaphorical scars. Not so we can hold them over peoples’ heads. But so that we can remember what we’ve been through, show others our weaknesses, and remember what God has done for us. Because, no matter what we go through he’s been through a lot more. He’s always with us and he will forgive us even when we give him scars.

   So are you holding any scars over someone’s’ head? Do you need to forgive anyone? Do you remember who first forgave you and are you leaning on him?

   Matthew 6:14-15, Philippians 2:14, James 5:9