As a young child, I loved to play in small creeks and streams. I suppose every boy does, if they have the chance. I especially loved to find a narrow section of the creek and attempt to build a small dam. I would search for large rocks and sticks and whatever I could find to stop the flow of the stream. Usually, I had a toy boat or pretended I had a boat made out of sticks that I could now play with in the ever deepening water.
On one such occasion, I remembered building a dam and having to run back to my house to eat lunch. I was gone maybe a couple of hours and I couldn’t wait to return to the dam I had so masterfully constructed. When I returned, the water backed up to the dam was all stagnant and dirty looking. However, the small trickle of water that escaped from the dam was crystal clear and continuing it’s flow down the stream.
Forgiveness is a lot like that day on the creek. Failing to forgive and continuing to look back at our past does nothing to the person(s) we haven’t forgiven–it stagnates our own life. As you continue your week, ask God to reach into your heart and remind you of someone you need to forgive.