If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that’s why you’re worshipped.
Psalms 130:4 MSG
If someone asked you to list your top five habits, would forgiveness make the list? It wouldn’t for me, I’ll be honest. In fact, I didn’t view forgiveness as a habit until I read Psalms 130:4 from The Message and discovered that God has a habit of forgiveness.
Suddenly my perspective shifted. Throughout my life I’ve viewed forgiveness as something to call upon when needed. Now, it’s clear that forgiveness is something to practice routinely.
Change your life. Change the world.
Habits are the things we do routinely and in many ways they define us. If you want to change your life, simply introduce a new habit. If you want to change the world, make that new habit forgiveness.
Think about what the world would be like if all of us embraced forgiveness as a habit. It would be amazing, because forgiveness is the root of so much goodness.
Forgiveness is Love
When we forgive another person, a situation, or even ourselves, we fill our hearts with love. We overlook whatever is causing us pain, suffering, anger, frustration, inconvenience, or discomfort, and we replace it with love and understanding. There’s an inherent connection between forgiveness and love, which means when we forgive, we also love.
Imagine then how much love comes from a habit of forgiveness. And think about the impact of that much love plus that much forgiveness, on your life and the world around you. It’s profound.
Forgiveness is Freedom
When we hold on to all the “wrongdoings” of others we get bogged down. We end up carrying the negativity of past grievances with us day to day when we refuse to let things go. In a way, we become enslaved to the people and situations that caused us pain, frustration, and anger.
Let it go. Let the past be the past. Not only that, let your spirit forgive and heal those troubles. You will feel a sense of relief and freedom that few other actions can produce. Don’t wait. Do it today. Think of something or someone that you’ve failed to forgive – something that you’ve held on to way too long . Then let it go. Habits start with small steps.
Forgiveness is Holy
Let us not forget that God provides a perfect example when it comes to forgiveness. It’s why we worship Him, why He is love, and why He is freedom. There is clearly a relationship between holiness and forgiveness, so by making it our habit and practicing it daily we will live more holy lives. We will model ourselves after the one, perfect God, and experience rewards beyond our understanding.
Gift Yourself
Maya Angelou once said, “It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody.” Give yourself that gift starting today. Be mindful of practicing forgiveness. Make it a habit, as the Lord our God does.