The difficulty in coming to terms with something that is bothering you is that you have to let it go.
There is considerable challenge in accepting that which we don't wish to accept or that which we are not ready to accept.
Yet, how long do we hold on to that which bothers us. Sometimes it can be a little thing, like a prickle in our sock, and other times something so huge that it threatens to consume our peace of mind.
Our peace of mind is significant. If we are disturbed or distracted or distraught, then we are not able to be still with God. We are bothered. We are irritated. We are obsessed. We are confused. We are concerned. We are wasting our time. Our stewing and steeping in our issues does not improve them or solve them. It just tears at our hearts and our mind. It damages our relationships. If we have something pressing on our heart about another person every time we speak to them or spend time with them, whatever it is is between us. They may not know. We may choose to never share what it is that bothers us. Sometimes we know from past experience that such discussions are pointless, only resulting in a situation becoming much worse. Sometimes too we know the other person may not be receptive- and that no matter what we say or how we present it they will not understand. Is that our worst fear? Do we worry that the significance of whatever of our burden will be minimised or destroyed if the person at the heart of it deems it trivial or irrelevant?
We don't need to have our issues/concerns/baggage validated. If you carry it, it exists. The question is- how long do you want it to weigh you down? How long do you want to rail against it and wish it was different? Do you want it to be different.
This is where forgiveness comes in. Forgiveness is huge. It is bigger than we think it is- and sometimes we think it is enormous. Quite often we think it is so big that we can't do it. We can't forgive. It is simply too much. How can God ask us to forgive? Doesn't God know how important it all was? If we forgive doesn't that mean it no longer matters.
Forgiveness means we trust God. It means that we entrust our most precious concerns and fears [and baggage] to God. It means that we look at others through God's eyes and we understand that we need to forgive them in order to receive God's grace and forgiveness.
Remove the chains.
Let us free ourselves.
Let us release our burdens.
Let us forgive so we can have peace in God.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3. 5-6
Matthew 17:20
