Many people – and I have sometimes been counted among them – really dislike the holidays because they have pent up anger at some of the relatives they’re going to be forced to be with. I have an aunt who likes to say, “Let’s not talk about reality – let’s talk about our feelings.” That’s amusing, because the fact is that if your feelings are not in line with reality, the problem is YOU. However, most people have really been hurt, deliberately or not, and bear a great burden because of the anger they feel at relatives they are expected to love. So if you’re one of the angry ones, I’ll tell you what worked for me, and what has brought me a great deal of peace in my life, but especially during the Christmas season when things just seem more emotional than usual.

There are a lot of wrong ideas about forgiveness. It doesn’t mean waiting until you’re no longer in pain due to some offense, and the lack of pain shows that you’ve forgiven the person. It doesn’t mean that the offender gets off scot-free and is no longer subject to punishment. Forgiveness isn’t for the sake of the offender. It is for the sake of the one who has been hurt. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you are required to let that person back on your life and act like nothing ever happened.

Understand why we need to forgive. By sending his Son, God set in motion the steps that provided our forgiveness for the wrongs we have done. And Jesus reminds us that God forgives us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us, in that prayer, and in several parables. The servant who was forgiven a huge debt, but then failed to forgive a small one by a fellow servant, was tossed in jail. The prodigal son and the father were enjoying the party, but the unforgiving older brother was outside sulking. Unforgiveness hurts the person who is being unforgiving. Forgiveness is a mandatory part of the Christian life. It is part of taking up our cross and following him. When we forgive, we are being obedient to the Lord, and the benefit of that obedience is peace - relief from the turmoil that you feel – you know that knot you get in your stomach – when you are angry and unforgiving toward someone.

I wrote a three part series last October on Forgiveness. Part One states that “Forgiveness Does Not Necessarily Imply Acceptance.” Having established one thing that forgiveness is not, Part Two goes on to list John Thomas’ (via John Piper) rather surprising criteria of what forgiveness is. And forgiving a repentant person is not at all the same as forgiving an unrepentant person. Part Three focuses on the practical aspect of how we can bring ourselves to forgive someone who has wronged us.

During the Christmas holidays, we love the movies that illustrate forgiveness. Don’t we tear up when Scrooge is joyfully welcomed at Fred’s house? Aren’t there a thousand schmaltzy variations on that theme, and more every single year? They make those movies because we like them. We want to partake in that forgiveness, even vicariously. Don’t wait to enjoy the peace that forgiveness brings.

Merry Christmas, and God bless you!

Trackposted to Wake Up America, Perri Nelson’s Website, Is It Just Me?, The Random Yak, Don Surber, basil’s blog, Madman Returns, Stuck On Stupid, The Amboy Times, The Bullwinkle Blog, Conservative Cat, Jo’s Cafe, Pursuing Holiness, Rightwing Guy, 123 Beta, The HILL Chronicles, third world county, Woman Honor Thyself, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, The Right Nation, Blue Star Chronicles, Pirate’s Cove, Renaissance Blogger, The Pink Flamingo, and bRight & Early, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.