Forgiveness and Peace

Most of us know all too well what it feels like to carry the bitterness and pain of wounds that have been inflicted by others. 

We have felt the sting of betrayal, the deep cut of rejection.  We know the sorrow that comes from broken relationships, friendships, and the grief that washes over us in waves when we are left to pick up the pieces of what was and try to move on. 

And in these troubled times that we are living in, we also know what it feels like to see friendships end over disagreements, and to realize that people we thought we knew well can turn on us in an instant.  

But carrying around bitterness over all of these wounds will never lead us to healing.  It's like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die.  

As is often the case with me, I find incredible wisdom from the 13th-century poet Rumi, who  wrote:

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about.”

These lines by Rumi invite us into a place beyond blame, beyond tallying up wrongs and rights. It is a vision of peace that comes only when we loosen our grip on resentment. 

Forgiveness does not mean that the pain we’ve endured was insignificant or that the wounds don’t matter. It means we refuse to let bitterness be the lens through which we view the world. When we forgive, the horizon shifts—we begin to see the world in a different light.

Jesus taught his followers to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Paul reminded the church at Colossae, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance… Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). 

These words acknowledge that forgiveness is both difficult and essential. Without it, our souls remain tethered to old injuries, and we struggle to find rest.

But when we choose forgiveness, we enter Rumi’s field—the place where the soul can stretch out in peace, where the weight of judgment is lifted, and where God’s grace surrounds us like open sky. In that field, reconciliation becomes possible, and our hearts awaken to healing and wholeness.

If you are carrying bitterness from broken relationships, release it into God’s hands. Forgive—not because the past is erased, but because your soul deserves to lie down in peace.

Prayer

God of mercy, release us from the chains of bitterness and anger. Teach us to forgive as you have forgiven us. Open our eyes to the field of peace where healing is possible, and lead us there by your grace. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. What past hurt still weighs heavily on my heart, and how might forgiveness free me from it?

2. How does unforgiveness affect the way I see the world and others around me?

3. What step can I take today toward reconciliation or letting go of bitterness?