Forgiveness

I went to my front porch and was met with forgiveness. The problem was how did I respond to forgiveness....Did I show hospitality to forgive or did I close the door?   It is so hard when you are put in situations where you have been offended.  It is so hard to open your arms wide and embrace the moment and to offer forgiveness to the one before you.     I simply do not know how Jesus did it.  In fact the more I think about it, the more I am in awe of His vast love for us.   Instead, I sat down in a old white rocker that my dad gave me 21 years ago.  I will always remember the day he came into the house and sat it down in front of me and said, "there it is Paula----a rocker to rock your babies in."   What foresight my earthly Father had to know that my Heavenly Father would bless me with five babies to rock.   I sat down in this rocking chair that my Dad gave me and my thoughts were not even on the conversation at hand.  I was suddenly taken back to that moment of gifting.   I felt surrounded by my Dad's love through His gift and was then surrounded by God's grace that was bestowed upon me on a old rugged cross.  Funny, how two different items both made from wood could/would cause me to be still and to know that He is God.  Forgiveness is always the better option---through the act of forgiving you release all emotions and hardening of your heart.  You let go of bitterness.   I've often asked myself, but Paula---what about the memories, what about the words, the hurt.....how do you simply forgive and FORGET.    You simply PRAY.  I have prayed many times that the Lord would wipe away all memory of difficult times just like He wipes away our tears so I might love His people more.  I have prayed that the Lord would just make me oblivious to what may be "the work of iniquity" and fix my eyes soley on Jesus.   Why would I pray this?  So, that I might look beyond all faults and see people in need of Savior.