Are you giving yourself the gift of forgiveness?
Early one spring, I was hard at work, clearing my garden of dead plants and leaves from the prior season. Hidden beneath some of the decaying matter, I saw small, bright green stalks of daffodils. Not far from that area were a few other daffodil plants that were thriving in the sun. They were tall, vibrant, and already forming buds.
The experience reminded me how rotting debris can stunt growth. New growth and the promise of blooms come best when we remove the debris, to clear out the old to prepare for what’s to come.
I began to wonder what new growth I was hindering in my life because I hadn’t cleared out rotting remnants of the past. Instead of giving myself the gift of forgiveness, I realized I was holding on to unforgiveness. That is one area where many people hamper their own new beginnings and fresh, vibrant growth.
Following her divorce, Joan Lunden, a former cohost of Good Morning America, said, “Holding on to anger, resentment, and hurt only give you tense muscles, a headache, and a sore jaw from clenching your teeth. Forgiveness gives you back the laughter and the lightness in your life.”
Clearing the Clutter and Moving Toward Forgiveness
As we forgive, we release “what could have been” and accept “what is.” But that’s easier said than done. Yet, as we let go of the hurtful things of the past, we can eagerly await new blessings.
We need to trust that one day our Lord will replace our mourning with gladness and give us joy instead of sorrow (Jeremiah 31:13).
In the meantime, we must clear out the old, even when nothing yet grows in its place. Like winter, sorrow and anger are only a season. And after every winter comes spring, a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. God uses the dead stuff in life as fertilizer to promote new, healthy growth. But we must not hold on to the rotten debris. When we give ourselves time to grieve and let go of what can no longer be, then we are ready to grow anew, like the yellow daffodils of springtime.
This Mother’s Day, I invite you to clear away old clutter, the rotting debris of the past, and give yourself the gift of new life and freedom that comes through forgiveness.
Warmly,
Georgia
P.S. Today’s content was adapted from A Gift of Mourning Glories: Restoring Your Life After Loss. If you’d like to read more, you can purchase your copy of the book.
ReBUILD 2 is open for registration and the coaching group begins June 8th. If you have completed ReBUILD 1 or have been divorced for several years, we would love to have you in our group. For more information, go to www.GeorgiaShaffer.com/ReBUILD2.
The Renew Summit is coming May 10-19!
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