“I Forgive You” Blog #166
Why should it matter whether I forgive someone or not?
What emotional baggage do I carry, day in and day out?
Is it too late to forgive someone, even if they are gone?
There are so many things happening to us in life that truly appear to be unfair. No matter
how dire a situation may be, there is always an opportunity for forgiveness. I am going
share some true stories with you now.
On August 9, 1945 Nagasaki, Japan experienced an atom bomb that dropped on their city
at 11:00 in the morning. Over 73,800 men, women and children were instantly killed and
vaporized. Those that survived were horrifically burned. Takashi was a doctor who was
asked to give a memorial speech to all the people who were left. How could our God allow
such a devastating event to happen? How could this horror be justified? All the people
who were left there, stood in the midst of the rubble of their destroyed city, quietly listening.
They were limping, bandaged, grief stricken people waiting to hear his words. Wanting
words that could bring a sense of understanding how to reason truth out of all this
madness. Takashi said this, “Our city, our beautiful city, had to be sacrificed so millions of
people can now be saved. Through this sacrifice people all over the world and throughout
Japan are now free.”
When a person believes in God, it becomes necessary to look at the bigger picture.
Over and above personal pain, when we let go of the anger, the resentment and the
blame - peace comes quietly inside our being.
After the World Trade Center killings, thousands of people died needlessly on a beautiful,
sunny September 11th morning in New York City. The anger and the outrage and the
sadness that was left because terrorists chose to do this was unthinkable. One year later a
group called “Murdered Victims Families for Reconciliation” were contacted by the mother
of the alleged 20th hijacker, Zacharias Mousaoui (who has been held in solitary
confinement in Northern Virginia since the attacks). His mother had an unusual request for
the families. She wanted to meet some of the families of the victims and ask for their
forgiveness. A small group agreed to meet Madame al-Wafi in New York City in November
of 2002. The first person to walk down the hall to meet Madame al-Wafi was a mother
whose young son was killed in the World Trade Center. There was silence and then one
could hear a lot of sobbing. Finally both mothers came into the room where the others
had been waiting. Both mothers were crying very hard, yet both women had their arms
around each other. Suddenly, everyone in the room also began to cry. Madame al-Wafi
spent three hours sharing how the extremist group had given her mentally ill son a
purpose in life. One of the young men in the room said he wanted to send a message to
Zacharius Mousaoui in prison and say, ” you can hate me and hate my brother you killed in
the World Trade Center bombings, but I want you to know today, I loved your mother and
comforted her when she was crying.” This young man went on to share he believes there
is a spiritual supremacy above us all. He now refuses to buy into hatred, rather
agreeing to give himself permission to reconcile.
Lastly, I speak for myself. Remembering all the hatred and anger and sadness I carried
with me. There was a darkness, a heavy lead weight sitting on my shoulders after my own
mother was murdered by the drug addict. Such anger I had. However, it was not until l
prayed. I prayed for the courage to do the right thing. I was so tired of all the dark forces
consuming me. Then it all changed. I got permission from the head of the state hospital
where this man was incarcerated, for me to come there. I then asked the guards to please
let me see him briefly. When he was brought into the room, I looked into his eyes speaking
quietly I said, “I forgive you, I forgive you for what you did and I don’t hate you any
longer”. As I walked out of the institution, I suddenly felt a remarkable feeling of lightness.
It was as if at that moment a huge weight I had been carrying on my shoulders, instantly
left. Taking a deep breath, I saw it was snowing. Beautiful white flakes of snow. Above all I
was at peace. I then remembered immediately Jesus, after being tortured and whipped
and stabbed, with a crown of thorns digging into his scalp. HE lifts his head to the heavens
above and speaks. “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Can I find forgiveness in my heart today for someone who needs it?
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