“Never does the human soul appear so strong and noble as when it forgoes revenge and dares to forgive injury.”   Edwin Hubbel Chapin. 

Forgiveness is a topic I could spend hours writing about, but I want to focus on just one thought for today.  Namely, who is really behind your pain?  By way of explanation, I will ask you the same question I have often posed to others:

If, during a routine surgery, the surgeon were to carelessly slash your face with his scalpel, would you blame the scalpel  for your  injury, or the surgeon holding it?  Even if you were scarred for life, would it be the scalpel’s fault? Or, would the blame lie with the one who was in control of it?

I submit, dear reader, that when others cut you deeply enough to leave an emotional scar, they are generally acting as unsuspecting instruments  in the hands of a very clever adversary –that evil, supernatural enemy which wages war against humanity.  I am certainly not negating the actions of those who hurt you; they are certainly responsible for whatever harm they have done and will be held accountable. But forgiveness is more for your sake than theirs, and it is far more easily accomplished when you truly understand the words of Ephesians 6:12:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Simply put, these dark powers are your true enemy, not other people. So the next time you are cut to the quick, dear reader, please remember that just as a scalpel is only a tool in the surgeon’s hands,  the person who hurt you was only a tool in the enemy’s hands. Then, in obedience to Scripture, forgive the offense:

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:13).

After all, forgiveness is also an instrument; it is an instrument of healing in the hands of the Great Physician –healing for both you, and  the one who hurt you.