Forgive

Forgive

Written by Will Evankovich, Lawrence Gowan

Lead Vocals by Tommy Shaw

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Could you stare at the sun

And say that you believe

You are the only one

To continue to feel the pain

Or fly back in time before

Before the pouring rain

Did the sun ever shine so bright

As you and I

Oh, why did we toss the fight

I'll keep saying "I forgive you"

Please forgive me too till the day that it's true

Ah, do ya remember the war

And after the smoke had cleared

Too tired from all the fear

And so then the damage was done

With no hope to build again

No point to lose or win

Well aren't we the lucky ones

Still, it goes on

No, we are not nearly done

I'll keep saying I forgive you

Please forgive me too till the day that it's true

Did the sun ever shine so bright

As you and I

Oh, how could we toss the fight

Or will I ever know why

Oh, I'll keep saying I forgive you

Please forgive me too

Till the day that it's true

Till the day that it's true

Interpretation

It can be hard to forgive.  If you are struggling to forgive someone for causing you pain, you're not alone. Couples eventually may divorce because one or both people couldn't forgive the other (although there are many other reasons).  Similarly, former enemies in a war may find it hard to forgive each other and reconcile. The bitterness that results can lead to lost hope. Still, should we throw away a relationship, whether it be a spouse or a friend, without trying harder to forgive?  I will start by forgiving even when I don't feel like it, and I will keep forgiving as long as it takes.  Will you forgive me, too?  Even if you don't feel like it, let's forgive each other over and over until it changes our hearts and eventually we truly can forgive and let it go.

This philosophy is consistent with teachings of Jesus about ongoing forgiveness:

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22)