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Do You Forgive? Do you?

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Ward:
I thought I would ask you all to comment on your individual experience of forgiving others.  Most of the talk by the world is focused on receiving forgiveness.  Specifically from God.  Little is mentioned about forgiving each other.

I regularly think about this when I pray.  I do generally incorporate at least a portion of what the church refers to as the Lord's Prayer.  I follow that example, or at least portions of it almost every time. 

When I get to the portion regarding asking for forgiveness for my sins/trespasses what screams out in my heart/mind is "...as I forgive others."  Do I ever truly forgive anybody for anything?  I don't think so.  So I add to that request that I know that I am not forgiving others, but I ask God to please not hold my sin of non-forgiveness against them.  I don't ever want to see anybody leaving their offering at the alter and looking for me to ask for forgiveness.

I've heard the statements from people in the world.  Generally, it goes something like this, "Yes, I forgive <fill in the blank here>, but I won't forget."  Ouch!!  Is that forgiveness real? More importantly, what about the "...won't forget."  I generally receive that as, not that they won't erase the sin from their memory (We aren't able to do that.), but that, "I am really not going to quit holding the sin against them."

What do you think?  What are you experiences?  Have you been given the gift of actually being able to forgive? (I pray that you have and that I will receive it one day myself.)

\/\/ard

seminole:
I had an experience that kind of opened up my eyes to this forgiveness thing. Several years ago I was in love. I was getting married to the one that took my heart away. Without being too graphic, she cheated on me. Although I know I shouldn't have been having an intimate relationship before marriage we were anyway. So the cheating was even worse. I was mad, furious at her and the other person and came to harsh words with both and blows to the other guy. I was wrong in that. We got married anyway and I said I forgave but wouldn't forget. We were both miserable because I kept bringing it up. I don't know why or how but one day I realized the knife like pain wasn't there anymore and it was no longer an issue between us. I can sit here and still tell every detail of what happened but the difference is there is no anger and no pain. Don't know if this helps or not.

carol70:
It has been my experience that if I pray for someone I'm angry at or need to forgive, the forgiveness generally follows - not immediately, but eventually.  It's weird, but it seems a lot easier to me to pray for someone than it is to forgive them.  Besides that, I'm terrified of not being forgiven by the Lord because I didn't forgive someone else. :)

rick:
IF FORGIVING IS HARD TO DO NOW..............WILL IT BE HARDER IN THE NEXT LIFE OR EASIER?????

YellowStone:
Great discussion :)

Forgiving doesn't mean that we should forget. Does God forget? Well if should forget and our sins are forgiven by God, why then are we to be judged?

If I bring someone into my house and they steal from me and I forgive them, should I let them in again and leave them from my sight? What have I learned?

Forgiveness, is about accepting that a mistake was made and realizing that it is God's plan in order to teach us humility and patience. While ever one chooses to harbor resentment and anger, the lesson is yet fully learned. However, I know for sure that I can't forgive some of the heinous crimes commited on women and children. I think feeling they are less than nothing in my eyes, is not forgiveness, even though I do not hate them.

I believe we will have to wait until the next age to experience real forgives and forgive the same.

Great Post :)

Love in Christ,
Darren

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