Forgive and step into your destiny!

"Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs." Proverbs 10:12

Last December, I went to see the show Les Misérables at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

Even though I'm very familiar with Victor Hugo's novel, seeing it unfold on stage made me realize the incredible journey of a man who found forgiveness for his sins.

Jean Valjean, the main character, whose life seems inspired by the arrest of a poor man who stole a piece of bread—a scene witnessed by Victor Hugo—finds himself in a paradoxical situation upon his release from prison, where he was held for many years for theft.

After committing another theft at the home of a bishop who had just helped him, Valjean finds himself at a crossroads that will define his life and destiny.

Caught and arrested for stealing silverware and brought back to the scene of his crime by the police, he is forgiven by the bishop, who gives him two silver candlesticks and encourages him to lead an honest life.

Not only does the bishop forgive Valjean for the wrong he did, but he also covers up his crime in front of the police by giving him those additional candlesticks.

True love, forgiveness, and love that covers the faults of those who have wronged us.

It might seem naive and foolish to act this way. In our current society, where so much harm is done, it seems wiser to build protective walls around our hearts and possessions. Forgiving those who hurt us feels intolerable, unfair, and risky.

But let's go back to Jean Valjean.

He stole from a man who wanted to help him. Faced with his exposed crime, he sees God's love manifest through the bishop's complete and perfect forgiveness. And before this ultimate love, with his heart laid bare, he converts to faith in Jesus Christ. He changes direction, he changes his life.

This forgiveness and love allow him to repent and step into his destiny. He goes on to do a lot of good for the suffering people around him.

Of course, it's a novel.

But I can't help thinking of two verses from the Bible. The first, from Proverbs, says that love covers all faults, and the second, from Corinthians, says that love endures all things. And I can't help thinking of the love Jesus showed me by bearing my sins and giving me complete forgiveness by dying for me on the cross.

Yes, I am forgiven for all the wrong I've done, and I no longer carry the weight, guilt, or regrets.

Are we ready to receive or give such love?

Years ago, when I was very young, I experienced trauma and injustice that had repercussions on my life. Despite my own faults, I felt like a victim and vowed never to forgive or see the people who had hurt me and spoken ill of me. And the years passed.

Honestly, I no longer suffered from it. I had a natural habit of "zapping" people who hurt me and excluding them from my life, with no possibility of return.

It's a very effective way to avoid suffering and stop thinking about a complicated or tragic situation.

But God wants something different for us.

One night, while living in the United States, far from all that, I had a dream in which God asked me to call the person who had hurt me deeply and ask for forgiveness.

He asked me not to forgive but to ask for forgiveness!

The dream was so real and clear that I called that person the very next day, even though I hadn't spoken to her in many years. I asked for forgiveness. That person said she should be the one asking for forgiveness, but I explained what God had asked of me. The relationship was restored, and a newfound freedom emerged.

In the Gospels, we read Jesus' parable about a man whose debt was completely forgiven but who did not forgive a lesser debt owed by his neighbor. Jesus says that the one who forgave the first debt hands the man over to the torturers for his refusal to show grace to another.

This is what happens to us when we refuse to forgive, even though God has forgiven our faults many times. When I refuse to forgive those around me, I am like the man in the parable. I have been forgiven a huge debt, tasted freedom, I am free from everything, and refuse to let others experience the same. I deny others what I so desperately hoped for myself. And I find myself handed over to the torturers.

Bitterness, anger, desire for revenge, self-pity, anxiety, torment, suffering...

Being handed over to the torturers is not God's primary will.

It's the consequence of my refusal to forgive. It can be hard to accept, but it's a spiritual principle.

"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us." Prayer from the Lord's Prayer.

Is it easy? No, of course not. But it's possible, and it's what God wants us to do. He is our example and gives us the strength because He has walked this path.

When I forgive others, I am not saying they are not guilty, just as when God forgives me, He is not saying I am innocent. My sin, He bore on His entire being; He took the curse that weighed on me. He took it all so I could be free; it cost Him dearly, but He did it because He loves me.

I must also walk this path, and this path leads to freedom, life, and peace.

The one I forgive will also have to ask God for forgiveness one day for what he did. But I am free and allow someone else to become free. I can finally start healing from my wounds. I can finally change my behavior towards others; I am no longer a slave to my past, its habits, and all the harm I have suffered, but I can finally enter the life God has planned for me and step into my perfect destiny.

I end this post by inviting you to reflect on what forgiveness could change in your life and relationships. If you feel it's too painful or difficult, don't hesitate to contact me to discuss or pray.