Do the Words “I Forgive You” Really Matter?

I just found out that someone died.

This person wronged me in a terrible way years ago.  They never knew that I knew how they had wronged me. (Did you follow the bouncing ball? :))

Sixteen days ago, this person contacted me on Facebook out of nowhere.  They didn’t mention the wrong, just the commonalities we shared.  There was no begging of forgiveness but in few moments’ time, I had given it freely.

At first, when they contacted me I thought “How dare you?!” Then I thought “Love.” Seriously.  In that order and that fast.  Because I have been forgiven.  And because I can recognize the beauty in a  friendship all because someone extended grace where there should have been none.

I still have a message in my inbox that I was “getting around to”.  I never will. I never spoke or wrote the words, “I forgive you”.  I like to think that in the way I extended the arm of friendship, they knew.   I should have said it.

Posted in: Forgiveness, Life, Redemption