The older I get, the more I come to value the capacity to forgive. I suppose that’s because the longer you live, the more chances you’ve had to experience others’ hurtfulness. When someone does you harm – or more properly, when you perceive it as such – and you don’t forgive, you become wounded in some way. Over time those wounds accumulate, and wear you down. Forgiveness is a salve that heals those wounds, so our spirit remains alive and invigorated. But forgiveness always seems to be in short supply. If only we had an infinite reserve of the stuff, getting through each day would be so much easier!
For all the times I’ve recited the Lord’s Prayer, I’ve usually attributed the part about forgiveness as a nice afterthought. Yes, we should forgive others as God forgives us. Hard to argue that’s the right thing to do, but where are we to find the strength to do so? Actually, the answer is tucked right there in the verse just before. In fact, I’d humbly suggest a slight modification to that verse: “Give us this day our daily bread, so we can forgive those who trespass against us.” Namely, I think God’s daily bread isn’t just the fuel we need to do his will, but it’s the strength we need this day to keep forgiving. It’s “forgiveness food”.
So the next time you’re finding it difficult to muster the strength to forgive someone, dial up the Lord’s Prayer, and ask God for a healthy helping of forgiveness food!