September 28 – Shadow and Forgiveness
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. Lewis B. Smedes
Gregg’s Reflection
Forgiveness has never come easily to me. When I’ve been hurt, my first instinct is to withdraw, to hold on to resentment as a way of protecting myself. But I’ve learned that what I hold against another often lives in me as unhealed shadow. In truth, the anger I direct outward often mirrors the pain I refuse to face within.
I’ve also had to face the harder work of forgiving myself. Memories of words spoken in haste or times I failed those I love most can sit heavy in my soul. Left unexamined, that shame becomes part of the shadow I project onto others. Only by bringing those failures into God’s light, and receiving mercy, have I begun to experience release.
Forgiveness doesn’t erase the past; it transforms it. The wound may remain, but it no longer poisons. Instead, it becomes a place of empathy, a reminder that we all stumble and stand in need of grace. Forgiving ourselves and others is how the shadow loosens its grip and light enters where bitterness once ruled.
Scripture
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Colossians 3:13
Ancient Quotes
Do not let resentment lead you into sin; the sun must not go down on your anger, and do not give the devil a foothold.
St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians
Modern Quotes
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.
Lewis B. Smedes, Forgive and Forget
Without forgiveness nothing of significance is possible. Forgiveness is the starting point of any new future.
Richard Rohr, Breathing Under Water
Journaling Prompts
- What resentment or grudge are you holding that continues to shape your inner life?
- In what ways has withholding forgiveness kept you trapped in your own shadow?
- Where do you sense God inviting you to forgive yourself?
- How might practicing forgiveness free you to extend compassion to others?
Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 39 Reflection: Shadow Work/Own Your Shadow