Starting to feel a change Day 4
Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:33 am
Forgiveness...I will have to say that this may be one of the hardest steps that I will have to complete. I have a horrible habit of holding onto and grudges against those who have wronged me in anyway. On the flip side, I continually beat myself up and feel a massive amount of guilt over the sins in my own life even after repenting to God and being forgiven. I carry so much guilt in my heart, that there are some days that I can almost literally feel the weight on my chest. In some ways, I think this is what led me back to God in the first place. Feeling so much conviction for the way I was living my life, but I am having a very hard time letting it go even now. There are several members of my family that I have not spoken to in several years due to crimes they committed against other family members in the past. I have always justified not forgiving them because of the things they have repeatedly done to our family and convince myself that I am better off keeping them at a distance and never letting them back in. While reading through step 4, I instantly thought of them. I now understand that I have to forgive those that have hurt me in order to learn to forgive myself and fully comprehend how God forgives us. I have always carried too much pride and stubbornness and have always viewed forgiveness towards those who have wronged me as being weak or submissive. I pray that I learn to let go of my pride and anger so that I can forgive others, myself, and deserve the forgiveness of God.