The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest!

Apologize: 

The first to apologize is the bravest!

Its been said there are two times to apologize. When you are right and when you are wrong. Seriously, due to blind spots and lack of self awareness, especially for those of us who think we are super self aware….we just might be missing something – just maybe – and there could potentially be a need to apologize even when we are quite certain there isn’t. So what is going to hurt to genuinely say “I’m sorry” ? Truth is….. that most likely in whatever relational rift we find ourselves in we didn’t get there due to us being a thousand percent blameless. That would make us perfect and well, most of us aren’t. 

Forgive.

The first to forgive is the strongest!

Why is it so hard for us to forgive?!?! Really? Why? I think it is because somehow it’s hard for us to reconcile the difference of forgiveness and approving of what someone did to hurt us.

Nooooo! That’s missing the point entirely. I love the line in Pretty woman where he says while he is in the bubble bath “I’m angry with my father.” In the movie, He paid dearly at therapy to learn that it’s healthy to admit that Yes! Someone hurt me. Yes! I’m hurt or angry or sad or feel this way or that. I’m getting Ok with the fact that they did infact do me wrong. And ya know what? It’s NOT okay. BUT I CAN BE OK ANYWAY! Peeling back this layer is a huge part of forgiveness. Realizing and accepting that Yes! This did happen. It was awful! Not right. Not okay. But I forgive them ANYWAY!!!! Not for their sake, but for mine. I set them free and I go free. I let it go and it let’s go of me!

Forget! 

The first one to forget is the happiest!

First of all, you can forgive and not forget. That’s true. But when you forget, stop dwelling on it and it no longer dominates your thoughts, steals you joy, robs your peace, that’s when forgiveness has her full effect on you. That’s the place of freedom and when happiness returns. Proverbs tells us that happy people trust in the Lord! Apologizing is a great step. Forgiving is the next step but forgetting about it, letting it go out of your mind, no longer making decisions out of past hurt and failure…that’s really winning in life. Pain free living! Really living with our eyes straight ahead forgetting those things which are behind us pressing toward the prize of the high calling of Jesus!

The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest!

Happy Monday!