How to Forgive Others

Have you been trying to figure out how to forgive others? Forgiveness is still a hot topic, no matter how you look at life. Whether you have always focused on the importance of forgiveness with others or you have struggled to forgive yourself, you know it's something that you need to do in order to live in peace. 

I was prompted to write about this very thing this morning, simply because it's something I have struggled with for a long time. It seems the hardest people to forgive are family and friends. I was having an inward struggle with forgiving a family member or two, and it was striking that God had such a sense of humor. 

I had just picked up The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian, and the third chapter was all about how she forgave her parents for something and how to work through forgiveness.

What bothered me the most was knowing that not only was I struggling to forgive people I loved, but I was learning that if I chose not to forgive, my prayer life would be hindered. 

Ah, that peace that we all long for was not being stolen from me, but I was actually allowing unforgiveness to suck the life out of me. I knew it was time to really allow this study to work on me, in me, and let God work through me. 

You know, we are never finished. Learning how to forgive others is not so much vital to our life as it is actually CRITICAL. Is there a secret to letting go and letting God? Is learning to forgive really a big mystery? 

If you want to let go and let God it really isn't a secret at all, but it all starts with making the choice to do so. Letting go is tough because our first reaction is to hang onto something that someone has said or done to hurt us and use it as a weapon. We almost want others to feel sorry for us so we use our hurts to get love and attention. 

It's only fleeting when people reach out, and we should do so, but to forgive is better and it cleanses the soul. Learning how to forgive others is the driving force to having peace in your life and with all others. Yes, even those that have hurt you. 

God's Word says to forgive seventy times seven, and not only that, but that is in one day! Matthew 18: 21-22-"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother and or sister 

who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." 

It's not optional, and you should also know that it doesn't mean that what someone has done to you is okay. It doesn't even mean that you have to speak to them again or be friends with them. No one is asking you to do that at all. However, this is about you getting it right for your heart, soul, and your relationship with God. 

God knows and sees all! Remember, God is the ultimate judge, and He will be the one to deal with the individuals for what they have done. So, let your peace come. During this holiday season it's so easy to focus on the good, forgiveness and loving others. 

Choose to make learning "how to forgive others" a lifelong journey and passion for your soul. 

Nelson Mandela Passes on a Great Legacy of Forgiveness, Reconciliation and Hope

Credit: Photo by Trevor Samson/AFP/Getty Images 

The news of Nelson Mandela passing on last evening has everyone astir this morning.

There is plenty to say about a great man that leaves behind such a great legacy, and today we thought it would be a great idea to share our thoughts on why we think he is pretty great too.

This isn't to say that he was just a "good person", but Nelson Mandela left us with so much more.

Whether you are a South African or not, it doesn't matter. You can be moved just by learning a little bit more about why Mandela was so important, and why he was so revered by his country.

A Beautiful Lesson from Nelson Mandela

After a 27 year incarceration, Nelson Mandela had a message for all people, and it was to simply "Forgive". That takes courage, and it takes a change of heart from what we as humans know. With the severe degree of apartheid that South Africa had been living under, he could have remained a bitter man.

Mandela was imprisoned based on the word that he was seeking to topple the government, and at the time it was a white government. However, when Mandela was let go, he walked out of the gates and looked back stating that he would rather leave the bitterness inside those prison walls.

One of the most important lessons we could ever get from Nelson Mandela, was that if we remain bitter, we stay inside our own prison. It never works out when we hold onto things. Have you experienced this in your own life?

Forgiveness may feel uncomfortable, and it may be something that you don't want to do, but we would urge you to reconsider that thought! Perhaps we could all learn so much from reading more about this man and other leaders like him that became the change that they wanted to see in the world.

"Nelson Mandela" believed that it all started with him, and that is what we all need to remember today and everyday to live courageously.

Forgiveness is Beautiful

Forgiveness is beautiful, and it's always right. That statement may make you cringe, and it may make you feel angry if you have recently been told that "you ought to forgive".

Is it really true? Should you? "Will you?" is the even bigger question.

At the end of the day what is forgiveness anyhow? Isn't this something that God does because only he alone is really capable of forgiving others? Sad to say that we really aren't capable, unless we have the love of God in our hearts, right?

Unconditional love and forgiveness have been put together in conversation, but do they really work well together? Is it possible to look at the love your life and say, no matter what they do that you will love them still? Forgive them for anything that they have done?

Let me tell you a story.

She Believes that Forgiveness is Beautiful 

Imagine that you are out with your husband, celebrating the life of a loved one passed. You are in your mid 30's, so you reflect on how young you are, and WHY your friend died so young. You simply go out to enjoy a few drinks and dinner in his honor, and then you return home with your children for the night. 

Everything is normal until you get ready for bed, and as you get out of the shower, you walk into your bedroom in your bathrobe, and your husband launches into a bizarre accusation of "Who sent you? Where are you from?" 

You are completely baffled, and after spending time together before marriage, you don't ever recall this happening. Then, in a blink of an eye....his fist pummels your face, and you are at a loss. As you hit the floor, tears fill your eyes because you are stunned and the pain hits you like a ton of bricks. 

He doesn't stop there. He continues speaking to you as if you are a spy, and what you are looking for. Confusion gets deeper, more frightening. Then, something that surprises you even more, he nearly bites your nose off. 

Darkness. 

Is it true that forgiveness is beautiful? 

Forgiveness is Beautiful When the Recipient is Undeserving

It has been said that it's easy to love those that love you, but wouldn't it be easy to curse those that curse you too? Yes, it would be. Often, I find that those I forgive are undeserving in my eyes, but when it comes to full out forgiveness does it matter? 

The whole point of forgiveness isn't really to release someone of what they have done to you, but to make peace with you for your own healing. Those that do wrong should absolutely pay for what they have done. People need to know that for wrong doing they must pay a price, but forgiveness is always right. 

It doesn't mean that you condone or support what they did, and it doesn't mean that you encourage them to do it again, or that you have to talk to them. However, when you take a vow for life, for marriage, what do you do? 

In this case, it is so hard to say without knowing what the complete picture is. I am NOT this woman, nor am I in her shoes. However, I had the pleasure of watching a beautiful image of devoted love unfold between husband and wife, in which she said, this:

"Look, I forgive him. I don't know the WHY, and it's not all that important. I love him, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, sickness and in health, and that is why I am still here. I forgive him. I told him that I forgive him, and that there is an underlying issue here." 

So it is that indeed, there was in this case, in which the husband is a veteran. Can you imagine? Being in a land where violence is so acceptable, and so the norm that it's ingrained into your brain around the clock? What if you had watched countless people beheaded, and people murdered just laying all over the ground? 

The truth is, at the time it occured forgiveness was probably the last thing on her mind, but we often don't know what has happened to other people to encourage such behavior. People are abused, neglected, and hence the reason so many boys and girls grow up needing so much repair. 

Forgiveness is beautiful, and so is love. Would you stick it out? Would you work through the worst to be with your beloved until the day you die? 

It isn't always easy to take the high road, or do what God would have you to do. It takes courage. 

Forgiviness is beautiful, and it's a courageous life! 

Forgiveness is Always Courageous

Forgiveness is such a hot topic, but it's not always for the best reasons. In reality, most people talk about it because they don't want to forgive, and it's because they don't feel that they should have to.

It never ceases to amaze me how resistant people are to forgiveness, but it could be that many wish not to mend relationships, or it could be that they have grown up with this idea that they are owed something.

So, have you forgiven others in the past? If not, wouldn't you like to move forward with a clean slate? You can change your future, if you choose to make better choices.

Life is all about choices. Don't believe me? Let me tell you a story.

A Mother That Chose Forgiveness Over A Grudge

While it is true that people do horrible things, it's also true that bad things happen to good people. We don't always know why, in fact, we really have no business asking. God is God, and in our humanness, it is no surprise that so many are saying that they are burned out on people. Forgiveness still rules regardless. 

It seems there is a lot of anger these days, and with tough times, guns are being fired, and innocent lives are being taken. There is one such story that was on Oprah many years ago, where a mother was interviewed about her son's killer. Oprah was asking her how she has been coping with his death. 

For this mother, it was simple. She chose to forgive and received her peace in life.There really isn't any reason that she should look for reasons to forgive, but she did it because she knew that not everyone knew what she knew. She understood that some folks only do the best with what they know. 

In many cases that means that they:

1. Grew up in a dysfunctional home
2. Grew up in a violent environment-it's all they know 
3. They don't know Jesus, and they don't have the spirit of love 
4. Don't value the relationship involved

This could be the case for anyone, but it's best that you do what you know is right. Do you believe that it's right to forgive? If someone hurts you, are you quick to forgive? Don't let the stuff of life get in your way, and be sure that you always let people know you love them, and that you value them. 

Remember, forgiveness is simply an act of courage my friends. 

LIVE COURAGEOUSLY! 

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is something I think about every day. How fortunate we are to be called a friend of God, and to be pardoned of all the sin we have committed in our lifetime.

The question is, are you passing it along to others? Or, do you choose to hold grudges on those that have hurt you? Will you forgive those that have wronged you? Will you step up and forgive others as Christ has forgiven you?

Let me share with you the story of ultimate forgiveness, one that I can't just get out of my mind.

The Ultimate Story of Forgiveness

Most of you reading this may know the full story of the crucifixion of Christ, am I right? That story is truly the ultimate in forgiveness in my book, but every now and then, I hear of some others that are truly amazing. 

If you have never read the book, Forgiving the Dead Man Walking by Debbie Morris, then you should. It will take you to a place where all of us should be at some point in our hearts. This is a place where we say, I can forgive because Christ forgave me. 

While we know that in our mind, do we know that and understand it experientially? Again, most of us don't, but we are called to live better than we are right now in this moment. We choose to only do enough to get by and that has to change. 

Debbie Morris was brutally raped, and chose to forgive the man that was her attacker. That is true grace by faith, and nothing that anyone did of their own accord. She extended forgiveness as Christ did, and showed love to an individual that in our minds didn't deserve it or have the right to it. 

If someone raped your child, would it be hard to forgive them? Of course it would be. There has been a saying floating around for many years that says, "forgive and forget", but no one will ever forget horrific acts like that right? 

As a parent you would be hard pressed, and the child will have that imprinted on their memory forever. However, God commands us to forgive and to love others as He has loved and forgiven us. What say you? 

This blog post may be hard to swallow, but we are in a time of crisis when we are called to hold fast, and be what and who God has called us to be. What will you choose to do? 

Will you say yes to God? Or, will you say, "Forget God!"? 

God has called us to live courageously, and nothing less. It's time folks as we move into 2013 for you to do more and be more. God has not called us to live a mediocre life, but one that is helping others, and one that brings others into their own greatness in time. 

Why not share your courage with others everywhere you are? To learn more about how you can wear and share your courage and faith, and be a walking inspiration to others, CLICK HERE now!