The hardest thing to do in this life is to forgive. To forgive others, to forgive ourselves is something not easily understood.
I say that here even though I myself am now starting to understand what forgiveness really means.
We always heard that we must forgive others as Jesus forgives, as God forgives.
But we've never really been able to truly discern why we must forgive.
When we don't forgive, we hold onto thoughts and feelings that are not healthy for us in both the short and long run. When you harbor bitterness happiness docks somewhere else.
Have we ever noticed that when we hold ill-feeling towards someone, we've giving that other person power over us, over our thoughts and actions. By extension, that person whom we feel has wronged us now has control over our lives. We live our lives harboring hatred, which can restrict our mental and physical growth. All sort of illnesses can develop within us.
But if we forgive and let go, truly let go and let God be in charge, and I mean truly in charge, we're able to breathe new life into our minds and bodies, we can learn from our experiences, good and bad. And we can grow as a person.
But if we don't forgive, waiting for the other party to suffer, wishing them evil, then, all we're doing is taking a bitter pill unto ourselves hoping the other party will die.
Holding onto a bad situation doesn't make it any better, nor does holding onto bad memories or hateful thoughts doesn't make it any more legitimate. No matter how long we do it for, and no matter how we twist the facts of the case. Whether we're right or we're wrong, there comes a time we have to let things go.
I think, but I could be wrong, but I think when we forgive, we heal ourselves in the process.
I know it sounds strange, but it's true.
Last week sunday night, I saw 'The Passion of the Christ' for the first time, and as Jesus was being nailed to the cross, he shouted out 'Father, forgive them'.
I don't know any human who would wish their wrongdoers nothing but vengeance in a case like that. Do you? But here was Jesus asking for God to forgive his murderers.
Now, if Jesus who was murdered by a mob of his own people, if he could ask for forgiveness of their sings, then whom am I to withhold my own forgiveness towards others.
Who are we to not forgive?
I say that here even though I myself am now starting to understand what forgiveness really means.
We always heard that we must forgive others as Jesus forgives, as God forgives.
But we've never really been able to truly discern why we must forgive.
When we don't forgive, we hold onto thoughts and feelings that are not healthy for us in both the short and long run. When you harbor bitterness happiness docks somewhere else.
Have we ever noticed that when we hold ill-feeling towards someone, we've giving that other person power over us, over our thoughts and actions. By extension, that person whom we feel has wronged us now has control over our lives. We live our lives harboring hatred, which can restrict our mental and physical growth. All sort of illnesses can develop within us.
But if we forgive and let go, truly let go and let God be in charge, and I mean truly in charge, we're able to breathe new life into our minds and bodies, we can learn from our experiences, good and bad. And we can grow as a person.
But if we don't forgive, waiting for the other party to suffer, wishing them evil, then, all we're doing is taking a bitter pill unto ourselves hoping the other party will die.
Holding onto a bad situation doesn't make it any better, nor does holding onto bad memories or hateful thoughts doesn't make it any more legitimate. No matter how long we do it for, and no matter how we twist the facts of the case. Whether we're right or we're wrong, there comes a time we have to let things go.
I think, but I could be wrong, but I think when we forgive, we heal ourselves in the process.
I know it sounds strange, but it's true.
Last week sunday night, I saw 'The Passion of the Christ' for the first time, and as Jesus was being nailed to the cross, he shouted out 'Father, forgive them'.
I don't know any human who would wish their wrongdoers nothing but vengeance in a case like that. Do you? But here was Jesus asking for God to forgive his murderers.
Now, if Jesus who was murdered by a mob of his own people, if he could ask for forgiveness of their sings, then whom am I to withhold my own forgiveness towards others.
Who are we to not forgive?
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