When we try to escape forgiveness, we begin to build a wall. 

Brick-by-brick we praise our strength and admire just how efficiently we can protect our hearts. 

But the problem is this:

The walls we create don’t keep the hurt of now out, and they don’t let the love of tomorrow in.

I used to have a whole arsenal of unforgiveness methods:

Denial
Avoidance
Distraction

But my heart was never free.

Until life offered me the very worst, and I chose the path of forgiveness.

Many people think to forgive means to be walked all over and to make yourself vulnerable to future abuse.

But I don’t believe that’s true at all.

You can speak truth.

You can make health boundaries.

You can change the nature of any relationship to preserve your mental health.

But I’ve never been more convinced that forgiveness is what frees our heart for good.

I won’t be chained to anger and vengeance.

I won’t let pain poison my soul.

Because life is too short.

And, you and me, we were made for more than brick walls and suffering.

We were made for love to open the doors to meaning.

And the kind of peace that only comes when we let go of what we can’t change. 

And thank God for what remains.

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