You Again

A couple weeks ago, I watched the movie, "You Again."   The movie is about a girl named Marni (played by Kristen Bell) who was kind of nerdy in high school and tormented by another girl, named Joanna (played by Odette Yustman)  After high school, Marni blossomed into an handsome woman and is successful at her job.  She flies back home for her brother's wedding, only to find out that her brother's bride-to-be is Joanna, who seems to have turned a new leaf.  She is now sweet and helpful.  Worst of all, she does not remember Marni at all.

Marni, cannot seem to let the pain and suffering go though and does everything she can to show everyone that Joanna isn't the person they think she is.  To make things worse, Marni's mother (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) had been best friends with Joanna's aunt (Sigourney Weaver) until they had a falling out in high school and are now bitter enemies--despite not having seen each other since high school.

These four women spend the entire movie trying to destroy each other because of some pain or hurt cause years and years ago.  And they do everything they can to hurt the other because of hurt caused them.   The problem with holding grudges and continuing to be angry at someone is that they are holding you as slaves to them.  Your anger causes you to be held down by that other person.

This is when we should be imitating Jesus and showing others the mercy and forgiveness that He shows us.  To forgive is to show love.   There is a second reason we should show forgiveness and mercy.  We we forgive someone for the hurt they have given to us, we actually break the chains that are holding us to them.  We are no longer tormented by that other person.  They stop hurting us when we forgive them.

If you have someone who has hurt them but you can't seem to forgive them just let go of that hurt.  Forgive that person.  Break the chains.  I'm not saying you have to forget what they did to you.  I'm not saying you have to trust them again.  But forgive them. Free them.  Free yourself.

I realize it's not difficult.  Especially if that person hasn't shown remorse.  Or if they don't know the hurt they have done to you.  You may feel like you want to "let them have it."  You want closure.  You want to try to make them feel bad.  How would you feel if God did that to you every time you sinned against Him?  God loves you. He forgives you for your sins.  Love that person and forgive them for theirs.