"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that prisoner was yourself." - Anonymous
Learning to share more is a start, but it seems to me that there's something else we need to work on. Another stone we have to dig out of our hearts before we can walk on a new path.
What could be more important than practicing forgiveness?
And very often, we have to begin with self-forgiveness. We have to hold ourselves accountable, to be sure, for the mistakes we make and the hurt we cause. But if we can't forgive ourselves, I don't think we can learn to forgive others.
Not to be preachy, but here's where we can learn from God. The beauty of grace, love unearned, is the lesson we turn to. If we are loved no matter what, then how can we not love others?
And to love, we have to forgive. It's all about the log in our own eye, not the speck in someone else's.
This forgiveness thing isn't easy, but it's the only way we are going to be able to live differently. And like it or not, it starts with each of us. How are we to reconcile if we cannot forgive?
6 comments:
To forgive is love
I had this big long comment on forgiveness, and how Dad taught us not only to share but to "kiss and make up," but I lost it. :(
And that kissing and making up was good for us, even though we didn't like it at the time. Our mom and dad understood what was important, didn't they? And they taught us by example.
wow - i feel i forgive others much easier than i forgive myself! i was once so angry at a brother (drug problems, jail, children left behind, etc.) that I thought I'd never forgive him. But now, years later, I have nothing but love for him. I'm so glad - b/c he's such a great person, despite his past, and I would've missed out on so much... Love covers all!!
It does, indeed. Holding a grudge takes so much work and only makes me feel worse.
It is so hard to put down the stones.
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