Miron Ministries » Non-fiction » The Vigor of Spring

The Vigor of Spring

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by: Dr. Sharon Schuetz Total views: 27 Word Count: 628 Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 Time: 5:03 AM 47 comments

Spring is my favorite time of the year. I love the smell of fresh flowers, the warmth of the sun as it greets a new day, and the excitement of new beginnings found in nature all around me. In the spring, I feel like I can do almost anything. It is a time of forgetting the past, leaving winter behind, and looking forward to the future with renewed energy.

 Today becomes the by-word. Yesterday is gone and I cannot change it. Tomorrow is only a hope, not even a promise, but today, today is mine. Today I can start that diet, write that letter, send a card to a friend, and take my granddaughter to lunch. Today I can put into motion all those wonderful 'what-ifs' that have been niggling in the outer edges of my mind. Today I begin again.

Spring is a time for forgiveness and for change. Beginning again implies we failed the first time and maybe a second, third or more. But, in the spring all that is forgotten and there is renewed hope; possibilities are endless.

 To harness all the energy that comes with this season requires an important commitment on my part. I must be willing to put the past behind me, forgive myself and anyone else involved in my failures, and look forward. For our weak human nature that is not always the easiest thing to do. Jesus is the ultimate example of forgiveness. He forgave me and He has forgiven millions of others for horrendous deeds.

 If Jesus can suffer the shame of the cross and love us while doing it, why do we have such a hard time forgiving ourselves and each other?

Unforgiveness is the acid that eats away our hopes. How can we hope to move forward if we are chained to the past by bitterness and unforgiveness? Families that learn the art of forgiving can be a positive influence anywhere. Families, who harbor grudges, refusing to see the other person's side, live in anger, hate, and bitterness that will, by its very nature destroy them.

 Learning to live a life of forgiveness is not easy. It requires a lot of pain and struggle. People hurt us both intentionally and unintentionally. We must remember that they and they alone will answer to God for their actions. We will account for our own. When we trust God to keep score, our minds are free to do other things. We can concentrate on the important things in life with fewer lines and wrinkles.

 While learning the art of forgiving others we must not forget that it is just as important to forgive ourselves. We all make mistakes, have regrets, and hurt others. We fail, grow weary and even undependable at times, but we must accept that weakness, strive to overcome it, and move forward.

Forgiveness brings change. By choosing to forgive, we choose life, and set in motion all those wonderful things found on a beautiful spring day.