Forgiveness: Gracia Burnham

Gracia Burnham: Three men with M-16s ran into the room and said in English, ‘Go, go, go!’

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth: I discovered a moving story while I was writing the book Choosing Forgiveness.

Gracia: We had gone nine days without food.

Nancy: While being held hostage by a terrorist group in a Philippine jungle, Gracia Burnham did something amazing—she chose to forgive her captors.

As long as she blamed the terrorists and the government, her heart was in turmoil. But when she chose forgiveness, there was peace. The problem was the next day would dawn with a new round of offenses.

Gracia: Then they said, ‘There’s a ransom been paid for you, but we’ve decided that it’s not enough.’ They said, ‘We’re going to ask for more.’

Nancy: It was a new opportunity to ask God for the grace to forgive.

Maybe there’s someone who seems to offend you every day. Remember Gracia’s ordeal in the jungle, and remember that you, too, can daily choose to forgive.

With Seeking Him, I’m Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth.