Sam & I AM

I forgive the hands that broke me,
 the silence that left me small.
I forgive the voices that named me,
 the echoes that ignored my fall.
I forgive the nights that swallowed me whole,
 the mornings I begged not to stay.
I forgive the doors that closed in my soul,
 and the ones I locked away.
I forgive the trust that was broken,
 the childhood cut in two.
I forgive the hands that betrayed,
 the love that never grew.
I forgive the body that betrays me,
 cells opening doors to night.
The mornings stolen piece by piece,
 the dimming of my light.
I forgive the eyes that turned aside,
 the hearts that chose to roam.
I forgive the ones who should have stayed,
 but left me there alone.
I forgive the love that hurt me still,
 while calling itself friend.
The map that led through wreckage’s fire,
 to storms that would not end.
I forgive the mirror that hated me,
 the choices made in fear.
The walls I built around my heart,
 to keep out what came near.
I forgive the arms that hid me well,
 but never in the light.
The shame of being second best,
 the weight of endless night.
I forgive the love that turned away,
 the lips that vowed too soon.
The friendship that betrayed its word,
 forever gone by noon.
I forgive the promise that pulled me close,
 then vanished into air.
The rug yanked out beneath my feet,
 the laughter that wasn’t fair.
I forgive the love that said I’m enough,
 then whispered it was a lie.
I forgive the ache of watching joy,
 with tears I still can’t dry.
I forgive the voice that tells me I’m cursed,
 that this is justice due.
I forgive the fear that chains me down,
 and whispers I’m not true.
I forgive not because they asked,
 but because I was asked to.
Because mercy covered every wrong I carried,
 and grace rewrote my truth.
I forgive because the Cross found me guilty,
 yet washed me clean of blame.
How could I hold another in chains,
 when He broke mine just the same?
I forgive because to withhold it
 is a weight I cannot bear.
Resentment poisons the vessel it fills,
 but freedom waits in prayer.
So this forgiveness is not just words,
 not cheap, not thin, not small.
It is blood-bought, heaven-sent,
 a command that covers all.
The Cross erased the weight of my sin,
 mercy declared my soul is risen.
What Christ has done, I now live in,
 I forgive because I am forgiven.