Forgiveness. This item is unavailable.Forgiveness

This reflective poem explores the emotional and spiritual struggle of accepting grace after personal failure. Gardner Barrier describes a persistent internal accountant that tracks past mistakes, leading to a cycle of self-condemnation that feels more like a punishment than true repentance. Although Barrier understands the theological concept of forgiveness, he finds a painful disconnect between intellectual knowledge and the actual relief of the spirit. He eventually concludes that moving forward requires surrendering the identity of a victim to one's own shame. The poem serves as a prayerful plea to trade self-hatred for a peace that can only be received, not earned.