It is our forgiveness of one another that makes the love of Jesus manifest in our lives, for in forgiving we act towards one another as He acted toward us. Thomas Merton Forgiving is not condoning. Pain, indignation and anger are not only necessary but perfectly understandable, perhaps even necessary, but ultimately, they must yield to a longing for reconciliation. Jesus tells us we will be forgiven only if we forgive others, and we should never forget how he forgave his tormentors while he was still nailed to the cross. Only when we are willing to do the same can we begin to fathom the mystery of forgiveness.
Forgiveness is power .
It breaks the curse of sin, it frees us from our past, it overcomes every evil. It could change the world, if we would only allow it to flow through us unchecked. Ultimately forgiveness is a gift of grace rather than an act of will. I have to be willing to forgive, but I cannot will myself to forgive. I can forgive with my mind, but forgiveness is finally a matter of the heart.