A Prayer to Forgive...

Forgiveness is almost a selfish act
because of its immense benefits to the one who forgives.
—Lawana Blackwell

My Mom shared the prayer that follows with me. It has been very helpful to her in healing past hurts. She has found as she has prayed it over time that more hurts come up, but that the first ones have been healed. She received a photocopy of a photocopy with no attribution, though it may come from Christian Healing Ministries in Jacksonville who does use the prayer. I offer this prayer as something that could be meaningful to many:

Lord, I don't know how to make forgiveness happen. I can't cleanse my heart or change my feelings. I don't know how to trust, and I'm afraid to hold me heart open. But today I'm making a choice to forgive. I know I'll have to choose again and again until you make forgiveness real and complete in me. Please God, give me the willingness and strength to perservere in choosing until forgiveness is accomplished in me by Your power.

I choose to forgive my father for...
I choose to forgive my mother for...
Forgive me for all me sinful responses.

Father, I let go of all resentments and bitterness stored up in my heart. Wash me clean. Forgive me for all the condemning judgements I have made. Give me a new and right spirit that will help enable me to hate sin but look with Your compassion and love upon sinners. Heal the wounded heart of the child within me. Pour Your love in. Bless those who wounded me.

Forgive me, Lord, for projecting childish pictures of my parents on to You, and onto others, especially those I love. Bring those pictures to death. Bring my childish ways and expectations to death. Let Your light shine into all the hidden places of my heart. Enlighten the eyes of my heart, Lord, to see You and love You as You really are, and to walk in Your ways.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.

Two books which deal, among other things, with those wounds we can receive in our childhood are Captivating (for women) and Wild at Heart (for men).

Anger makes you smaller,
while forgiveness forces you to grow
beyond what you were.
—Cherie Carter-Scott

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor + King of Peace Episcopal Church