Sunday, June 27, 2010

Am I a hypocrite?

Is it wrong for me to not feel ready to just "forgive and forget?" I teach my children that they should forgive others. I go to church and sing in the choir about God's redeeming love. It's not that I can't or won't forgive my DH for all that he's put us through. I guess on some level I already HAVE forgiven him, in that I don't harbor bitterness or feel the need for revenge. I don't hate HIM as a person ... I just can't forgive what he has DONE.

Besides, I think to myself, isn't REPENTENCE a necessary component of forgiveness? If he were to come to me and say: "I know I've hurt you deeply, for so many years, and in so many ways. I've made up my mind that I will never hurt another human being like that for as long as I live. I know I don't deserve it, but could you find it in your heart to forgive me?" then maybe I would FEEL more "forgiving" towards him.

BUT HE HASN'T! To the contrary, he continues to proclaim his "innocence." Not only so, but he adds insult to injury by blaming ME for the "issues" that our children are having, by telling my friends that I'm "crazy" (although fortunately they know me well enough to see right through his lies & don't believe him), and by CONTINUING to abuse me through his manipulation of the legal system. WHY SHOULD I FORGIVE HIM?

Is it WRONG for me to feel this way? Am I a hypocrite for harboring such hatred for the things this man has said and done? I don't know. I don't have the answers. They say time heals all wounds ... I don't know if that's true. If it is, in my case, it's going to take a lot MORE TIME ... because I'm just not ready to let him off the hook yet -- not when he isn't even willing to face the reality of what he's said and done.

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