There Are Worms in My Garden of Unforgivingness

We have become farmers. Tomato farmers to be more specific. We've actually been quite the overachievers in the tomato farming business this year! If you see us, you'll most likely receive a bag of complimentary cherry tomatoes. It's ​apparently what we're called to do now. 

​Along with tomato farming comes worms, notably the tomato hornworm or Manduca quinquemaculata. Seriously, that's his legal name. He's a vicious little creature that can destroy a tomato plant in a single afternoon. He too is an overachiever! ​

Watching this little, actually quite big, hornworm eat away at our tomato plants reminds me of the lack of forgiveness that can eat away at our souls. Yes, unforgivingness is like having worms eating away at my soul! ​

Ironic how it works, more often than not, the lack of forgiveness hurts me more than the person I have refused to forgive. Ironic, and at the same time very sad.
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"Forgive and forget." they say. Well that's much easier said than done, right? For real! Forgiveness is a difficult business, but it's so good for the soul!

“There is no use in talking as if forgiveness were easy… For we find that the work of forgiveness has to be done over and over again.” —C.S. Lewis

​The work of forgiveness must be performed over and over and over again. Sometimes, it seems to be a never ending ordeal. 

​When I am hurt, and who hasn't been, I sometimes find the need to hold on to forgiveness. Let me just keep this forgiveness in my back pocket because you don't deserve it. Sometimes, that seems to be my unconscious thought process. Sad, but true. And who does that hurt? Only me.

​Forgiveness is work, it's difficult work. At the same time though, it's a gift I give myself. When I forgive, I release myself to love that person as God loves that person, and as He loves me.

​If I can forgive and love as God wants me to—as He forgives and loves me, then I don't allow those worms to eat away at my soul. That's when the offense is no longer a burden. Instead, the offense has become an opportunity. It's become an opportunity to see the offender as God sees them and as He sees me. He sees us as forgiven and loved, and that my friend is a beautiful thing!

Have you ever thought of your life as a beautiful garden? That's the way God sees it. He doesn't see all the messy. He looks past that and sees a garden being made beautiful. 

​However, if you're at all a gardener, you know beautiful gardens begin with a lot of clearing! This garden, this beautiful garden of your story is being cultivated for you by God.

Read more about the garden of your soul in our post Beautiful Gardens Begin With Clearing the Land. 

​"Forgiveness is work, it's difficult work. At the same time though, it's a gift I give myself." Share your story of how you gave yourself the gift of forgiveness.