Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
By: Carol McClain @carol_mcclain
Without forgiveness, the hurts of our lives cling
to us like the smoke wildfires.
We burn each time we finger the seared surface.
God knows our pain. After all, He
forgave the unpardonable. Upon the cross, after brutal torture despite His
innocence, Jesus said, "Forgive them Father for they know not what they
do." If He forgave, so can we.
How?
Four Ways to Achieve Forgiveness
1.
Make the
decision to forgive. Alcoholics and drug addicts must admit their
shortcomings in order to find sobriety. Likewise, in overcoming unforgiveness,
we must decide this is something we will do. The anguish won't necessarily go
away instantaneously, but over time, it will fade.
2.
Every
time you replay the offense say, "I forgive." At first you'll
sound like a broken record. Eventually, you'll find you're "forgiving"
less and the memories will distance themselves from your life.
3.
Don't
expect the perpetrator to change. You are the one who needs to be healed.
Other people are responsible for their own lives.
4.
Talk to a
trusted friend. This person must be
a proven confident, not simply anyone who is within earshot.
5.
Talk to a
counselor. Broken friendships, insults, misunderstandings and other petty
things can heal by themselves. However, for the monstrous issues, you need a
trained professional be it a church pastor or a psychiatrist. Do not be ashamed
to reach out for help.
6.
Use your
experience to heal others. We've heard of people who have started self-help
groups, inspired legislation or simply have become mentors to those suffering
the same heartache. By giving to others, your own sorrow can be calmed.
I've used each of
the above and can attest to their efficacy. With forgiveness, the welt of a
scar might remain, but the pain doesn't.
I agree that forgiveness brings healing. As we heal, the sharpness of pain fades. We're better able to develop resiliency and move on to other thoughts and feelings -- like an injured limb can heal. Even more important, when we attempt to obey and imitate Christ, I think God honors our intention and gives us grace to release unforgiveness to an extent we couldn't achieve under our own power. If we take a step toward forgiveness, God can carry us beyond our own limits.
ReplyDeleteJulia, your thoughts are true. Forgiveness doesn't condone the action. It frees the vintimate
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