Christianity Oasis Forum

[Ruthk34]

Forgive, myself and everyone who has sinned against me. Not just to say I forgive but to do so COMPLEETLY. Now this is going to be hard. As I listened to the seventy times seven song on the cool cd player I remembered some times when I was young and the people who wronged me or mistreated me way back when that I havn't even thought of in years. So I have more to forgive than I ever thought of. Plus there are those I had forgiven but perhaps not completly. This will be a lot of work I think.

Another weed I discovered was that I have caught myself judging some people in my own mind. I stopped myself ,saying what are you doing? this is wrong. So I prayed for forgiveness for my thoughts then prayed for the person(s) I had been thinking ill of (namely a former co-worker)that they see their sin for what it is and repent for their own sake. I also prayed not to hold any ill will toward them in future. What they did wasn't against me but I felt for the person whom it must be hurting and I hadn't liked it. So in turn I was judging them for their wrong. I am glad that I caught myself and kept myself from continueing with those thoughts. Plus I was able to keep my mouth shut when someone else tried to bring up the subject fishing for gossip about it. I simply said I won't talk about that.

Praise God that I am making progress in my christian walk.

[dema]

Forgiveness is release. It is giving each person to God. And being okay with whatever God chooses for them. Releasing any claim to make charges against them. God can do that if He wants, but if the accept the blood of Jesus - then the person who sinned against you will go to heaven. If you have forgiven, you can accept that. Maybe even joyfully.

Forgiveness doesn't mean exposing yourself to an evil person again. It does NOT mean having them over for milk and cookies.

Forgiveness is letting go of the chains that bind you to that person. Unforgiveness keeps you chained to the person and to the act that they committed.

Let go and let God. One person, one act at a time. Give yourself time.

And, if you were abused badly by that person, particularly sexually abused, then you need to get angry first.

You need to admit that they did that to you, you need to be very sad that you were hurt, and then you need to grow outraged - and you need to shout out that nobody ever, ever should do something like that. It was wrong, they were wrong, it was an evil, blasted, terrible thing to do. And when that anger naturally starts to wane - you have to let it get weaker - then, and only then, do you forgive. You need to get angry first if it is a terrible thing.

Depending how bad the thing was, this may take a few minutes or up to two years for the whole process. If it isn't changing over the course of months - then you are stuck and need help.

And, even after you release, if it comes back, you may need to do it again. But it will be much faster. Remember, be sad, be mad, and give the whole shebang back to God. Each time faster and easier - that doesn't mean fast or easy - just that it gets better and in between you will feel pretty good. And the in between will get longer. And you will feel lighter.

The Bible says not to stay mad. It says not to sin while you are mad. But God got angry. Jesus got angry. Some things deserve anger.