Some stories you hear as a child never leave you.
One particular gruesome story I remember was about a medieval punishment for those who committed murder.
The victim’s body was chained to the murderer who endured a slow torturous death as the corpse rotted away on his back.
Sometimes I wish I didn’t have such a vivid imagination!
Beyond the gruesome details, there’s an analogy that we can learn from in this story.
In life it’s impossible to avoid being the target of someone’s transgression when you have done nothing to deserve it.
It’s an injustice and it hurts, especially when there is no resolution.
The offence may have been committed by someone very close to you or by a complete stranger.
Either way, the injury leaves a lasting impact.
You might notice ruminating thoughts or you may have a compulsion to keep retelling your story of injustice.
The offender takes up residence in your thought life, much like the dead weight of the medieval corpse.
People begin to notice the smell of ongoing resentment and bitterness instead of your usual pleasant perfume. What caused the change?
By allowing this person to permeate your inner life, their toxicity has been slowly spreading its poison through your system.
Unlike the unfortunate medieval criminal, you can unchain yourself from the power of the offence.
We are often reluctant to forgive an offender as we think it’s letting them off the hook.
The reality is we let ourselves off the hook- the hook that keeps us stuck.
Forgiving means we let go and move on with our life. We free ourselves from the rotting carcass of offence and evict the disgruntled squatter in our head. Less baggage equals more freedom.
Make a commitment here and now to embrace freedom.
