I Forgive
Forgiveness is never easy. It can feel like swallowing gravel — especially when the wound is deep and the hurt has lingered for decades. But I recently read something that stopped me in my tracks and reminded me that forgiveness is not only possible, it’s powerful.
Actor Tim Allen — yes, Tim “The Toolman” Taylor — shared that he has spent over sixty years struggling to forgive the drunk driver who killed his father. Six decades of pain. Six decades of anger simmering quietly in the background. And then, just days ago, something happened that cracked his heart wide open.
At the memorial service for Charlie Kirk, his widow, Erika, stood before thousands — grieving, courageous, and full of faith. She spoke about the young man accused of murdering her husband. Through tears, she said, “That young man … I forgive him. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the Gospel is love. Always love.”
Erika’s words reached across miles and decades to Tim Allen’s heart. He wrote later, “When Erika spoke those words, I was deeply affected. I will say them now as I type: I forgive the man who killed my father.”
Did you catch that? A man who had held on to pain for sixty years finally let go — because one grieving wife chose to forgive.
That’s the breathtaking ripple effect of grace.
Jesus modeled this on the cross when He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Forgiveness doesn’t mean the hurt was small. It doesn’t mean the loss didn’t matter. It means we trust God enough to release the right to revenge and let love have the final word.
Some of us are carrying old wounds — maybe not sixty years old, but heavy just the same. We replay the betrayal, the injustice, the harsh words. And each replay keeps us bound to the pain.
What if today, we whispered those freeing words? I forgive. Not because the person deserves it, but because Jesus gave it first. Because holding on costs too much. Because peace waits on the other side.
Friend, forgiveness may not be quick or easy. But it is holy ground. It’s where chains break, hearts heal, and God’s love writes the ending.
Let go. Trust God. Love wins over hate every time. #GraceWins #IForgive