Forgiveness and Faith

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die.”
2 Samuel 12:13

A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Galatians 2:16

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Love, forgiveness, faith. These are what is taught by the Church and most parents. These are also key ingredients in a relationship of any kind.

The two verses above where from last week's readings. The first one shows God's forgiveness. He has not only forgiven David, but in the New Testament, Jesus forgave the adulteress and other people on different instances. It shows that God is a God of mercy, embracing us despite our weaknesses and sinfulness, as long as we recognise our faults and repent. Change is gradual, and most of us have our favorite sin. But we can change, if we change by opening ourselves to transformation through the Holy Spirit, and knowing that we do what is right because we love God.

We receive forgiveness from God. But do we forgive? At times, I have a difficult time forgiving. Yes, I say I have forgiven but still there is this heaviness in my heart over the wrong done to me.
Last week, I had a misunderstanding with my loved one. They say that we are only hurt by ones we trust. Yes, because we are so open to them that when they hurt us, knowingly or unknowingly, we feel it deeply. I am one who can be sensitive. We did resolve the issue, because my loved one said sorry and recognised his mistake. I know it is also a part of me that is at fault for giving a different meaning to words at times.
Part of getting hurt is expecting too much. What should be is to have more understanding of why a person says or does something. It usually has to do with a person's upbringing. Some people are tactless by nature because they were brought up to speak out their feelings. Opinions are also shaped by ones environment and experiences.
When someone else hurt me, I asked God, why do I hold a grudge? How can I forgive? And the answer was simple: LOVE. Think how much you love that person, of things that a person did to you to feel loved. Oh yes, it did work. Love melts away the hurt.
God also reminded me that no one is perfect. Like in the second verse mentioned at the beginning, we are only justified by faith not by law. No one can boast because no one follows the law consistently. People are flawed. Everyone has a weakness and strength. This also depends on the context. One's strength can also be his weakness. In my case, my sensitivity causes me to be hurt, but it is also why I am more in tune with what other people need. I am sensitive to other's needs.
Forgiveness is not always easy. And for those who truly got hurt, it will not come instantly. But trust that love - of God, of people who truly care, will wipe away the hurt if only we allow ourselves to live, to love, to forgive.