Christmas is a Time For Forgiveness: 5 Easy Steps To Help You Let Go of Anger and Forgive

Product Information

Now, though the Christmas story—a true historical event― is about the birth of Jesus, the events leading to Christ’s birth also has great lessons for forgiveness and respect of one another. Here is how the story unfolded: With Christmas right around the corner, now is a perfect time to ask God for the grace of helping us to forgive those who have hurt us. Whether the wounds are new or decades old, the Child in the manger, who is God’s gift of mercy and forgiveness to the world, is waiting to help us. The baby in the manger we celebrate this season is God in the flesh, come to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), so that all of us sinners who believe in Him can be reconciled to God the Father, and then live as His beloved children every day.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. The theme of the novella is clear from the title - A Christmas Carol - which refers to the traditional carols that are sung at Christmas time.Zechariah held his long-awaited son in silence because he had sinned against the God who had opened his wife’s womb. He — a priest — had dismissed what God had plainly said. And so, God gave him nine quiet, painful months in front of the mirror. Every time he tried to speak, he was reminded of how he had failed. His speechlessness said what no one else could hear: “I have sinned.” If a man has been silent for nearly a year, when he finally does speak, everyone leans in to listen. So, when his prodigal tongue returned, what did Zechariah say? This is where the tears must have flowed. Not long after, John’s long-awaited cousin was born. An even more miraculous child. Forgiveness incarnate. The full and essential nature of love we may not understand, but there are tests by which it may be recognized.

Would it be too much to read Winterson’s Christmas collection as an attempt, finally, to make peace and come to terms with her past? The evidence is there in the inclusion of the recipe for her father’s favourite trifle, which she made out of tinned fruit and Bristol Cream sherry only a few days before he died. “I am glad of that last Christmas with my dad,” she writes, “not because it rewrote the past but because it rewrote our ending. The story, for all its pain and sometimes horror, did not end tragically; it ended with forgiveness.” It isn't easy making the choice to forgive. But living with unforgiveness can be downright deadly! I've heard it said that harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies! That's a good way to think about it, because many, many illnesses, including depression and arthritis, can be linked to bitterness and unforgiveness! Like many first-time fathers (myself included), the man couldn’t find the words. In this case, however, he literally couldn’t speak. When Zechariah finally met his son, he could only ask for something to write on. He didn’t get to taste the boy’s name on his lips for eight whole days. I vividly remember meeting our firstborn. I can’t imagine feeling all I felt those days in silence. It might have killed me to try. Dear God, I have a resentment towards a person that I want to be free of. So, I am asking you to give this person everything I want for myself. Help me to feel compassionate understanding and love for this person. I pray that they will receive everything they need. Thank you, God, for your help and strength with this resentment.”

One person said that the bitterness of unforgiveness is like taking poison whilst you’re waiting for the other person to die. Jesus Christ’s birth was to show and demonstrate by example the goodness of God and His death and resurrection was to open the door for us to come to find the Father and find deep and genuine freedom from our broken and sinful hearts and actions. Forgiveness this Christmas I was just overwhelmed to hear that Bob Chilcott, a man who had never even met Alan, had done such a wonderful thing," said Maureen Greaves. "If only Alan could have heard it, he would have loved it."

This prayer helps me remember that God is the source of all mercy, and when we struggle to forgive, He is waiting to help us. All we need to do is ask. The Christmas setting makes it easy to allow some talk about God and the real reason for the season without pushing it too much. Forgiveness is an obvious theme for the movie.

It is also important to remember that there is a difference between forgiveness and trust. Jesus tells us again and again in the Gospels to forgive and to show mercy, but He doesn’t say we must place our trust in the people who have hurt us. Rather, Scripture says, “It is better to put confidence in the Lord than to trust in man.” (Psalm 118:8)