Choosing to Forgive

The Adulterous Woman

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this,testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”

John 8:1-11 NASB - Today's Gospel Reading. 

Is it hard to forgive others?

Is it easy to forgive yourself?

Or is it hard to forgive yourself and easy to forgive others?

Maybe both are easy or maybe both are hard.

Only you know.

For me it's hard to forgive myself.

I sometimes drag my feet forgiving others but I find that easier than showing mercy to my own self. Even over the smallest things. 

Why is that? Why can I look at others and not see their sin but look in the mirror and dwell on my own many. 

This has been a great hardship for me, especially here lately where I lay falling asleep at night holding onto my past and those I've hurt. 

Yet the Lord does not want this of me. He wants me to forgive my neighbor and myself. 

His passion and death forgave me once and for all. (Don't confuse that sentence by thinking Reconciliation isn't necessary. (-:) 

He forgave me and I need to do the same. I am worthy of forgiveness though the evil one may try to tell me otherwise. 

God's mercy washed over all of us that day His Son hung and died on the cross.

Through Him we are healed.

Continue to teach me to forgive others and help me to remember to forgive myself. 

Like the woman in today's gospel Jesus told her, "go and sin no more."  

Brothers, I do not reckon myself as having taken hold of it; I can only say that forgetting all that lies behind me, and straining forward to what lies in front,

  Philippians 3:13

Choosing to forgive when it is hardest to forgive.