The older I get the less judgmental I become. There is not a person on this earth, no matter how wonderful, who has not disappointed or let down someone they loved at some point. Some people have experienced more pain than others, and it really does seem true that "hurting people" often hurt other people.
I don't have all the answers, but I believe that unforgiveness continues to propagate more pain, and more unforgiveness. Bitterness is like a deadly virus that dampens the spirit of everyone involved, being passed on from one generation to the next in one form or another.
The way to prevent history repeating itself is to stop the poison cycle now. Otherwise it will continue to be passed on to the next generation. It will affect children and grand children until someone has the courage and the motivation to stop it.
We all have choices. Love or hate. Forgiveness or unforgiveness. Honesty or dishonesty. To be an energy giver or to be an energy taker. To inspire or to quench. To be trusted or to betray.
Problems come into each life often to make us strong. We cannot choose our set of problems or their consequences. We only get to choose what we will do about them.
Unforgiveness destroys! It is the cancer of all cancers. We don't have to let the same dog bite us over and over, but sometimes we do need to come to terms with the dog, even if only to let it go.
As a follower of Christ I truly believe our ability comes from trusting Christ to work in us and through us. Our part is to abide in Him and learn to allow His Word to abide in us. He delights to show Himself strong on our behalf.
Only one life. Only one chance to get it right.
Tom Mullins once said, "When you don't know what to do, do the most loving thing."
If we err, why not err on the side of love.
