ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 30, 2025
I caught part of a science show on TV the other day, and the question being asked was, “How much energy does it take…?” Though they were measuring the amount of joules required to move certain objects, my mind instantly went to a related question that only a minister would ask. I wanted to know how much energy it takes to forgive as compared to how much energy it takes to not forgive. I’m guessing there is not a scientific formula by which such a thing can accurately be determined, but I sort of wonder if forgiveness requires a lot of energy upfront, but in the end, there is a dramatic reduction in the energy required. Where, on the other hand, choosing not to forgive might not have a peak energy requirement, but it continues to draw energy day after day, month after month, year after year. Let’s be clear—forgiveness is never easy, and in almost every case, it does not come quickly. Yet I sort of wonder if those who do not even try—holding closely the anger and injury, the bitterness and resentment—become sort of addicted to the grudge. And like any addiction, over time, it begins to kill the person. Forgiving is hard, and it will demand some energy. But in time, the painful experience no longer consumes us and our energies can be redirected toward those things that bring health and well-being. In John 20:23, Jesus said to his disciples, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” In the original Greek of the New Testament, the word translated here as “retained,” literally means to seize with great strength. It’s not like tucking the hurt in one’s pocket and forgetting about it. Retaining requires energy, and in this case, it demands a lot of energy for as long as one continues to hold the injury close.
Merciful and Encouraging God, thank you for being realistic about forgiveness, always helping us through the arduous and demanding process. I give you thanks for counselors and others whose training assist in this challenging, yet necessary work. Continue to nudge me when I put off the need to forgive, for though I might convince myself that I have tucked the hurt away, it is always consuming my life-energy. Thank you for loving me through this tough yet necessary undertaking. Amen.
