Artichoke Analogy, Part 2

I’m going to stick with the artichoke analogy, as I realize it applies to another facet of forgiveness.  If you haven't read part 1 of the Artichoke Analogy,  you may do so here.  During the first year of our recovery, I would dream about the day I would forgive Jason.  It seemed so impossible.  I thought when I was ready to walk through that door, I would forgive Jason, shut the door, and we would move on, never looking back.  That wasn’t the case.  Indeed, the day did come when I took that leap of faith and forgave Jason (I’ll explain that later)…but what transpired after, I had no idea.Within 24 hours of forgiving Jason, I felt hurt and resentment creep back into my heart.  I panicked!  How could this be, Lord?  After all this work?  And it was God whom spoke to me and reminded me of a story in Matthew.

 Matthew 18:21-22  “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me?  Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Ok, got it God.  This isn’t a close-the-door-kind of forgiveness and walk away.  This is a continue-to-forgive kind of forgiveness for as long as it takes.  And I think of the artichoke.  Each “pointy leaf” represents a multitude of times that I’ve forgiven Jason.  And then there are the interior leaves of the artichoke and the fuzzy choke…how many times again?Keep “whittling” away at the artichoke.  Good things are to come!