Thoughts on Forgiveness

[furrychristian]

I see it as therapists simply discovering that the Bible is correct about forgiveness being good for you.

[enoob57]

pure de ole common sense ... what possible rational process uses past events to color tomorrow's new day? Past cannot be altered but the new day all things are possible!

[TheBlade]

On 2/1/2024 at 7:47 AM, Starise said:

As most know, Christians are to forgive others. Forgiveness is an act of the will that determines itself to forgive. Often there are no signs of the perpetrator ever having any remorse, yet we are still to forgive them. 

We are told to forgive and love even our enemies. The bible tells us to forgive a brother 70 times 7.

What sorts of situations are we not required to forgive? Jesus didn't forgive Satan or the angels. Is this some kind of a precedent?

I have at times forgiven others but in my heart it still doesn't feel as if I forgave them. God knows I have every intent to forgive and I believe I did, but the wreckage left behind is too great to ignore and maybe that's what I see, especially when events can reoccur again opening up those wounds.

To protect ourselves I think we need some distance and if that isn't possible, we need ways to cope with it.

Some things don't require forgiveness, they require correction since it isn't a slight, it's really an inaccuracy. We are not to apologize for correcting biblical inaccuracy, even if we are made to feel we should seek it. God didn't make me a "corrector" but He did tell me to point out error if it can potentially mislead others and/or cause confusion. Some people will prefer error over truth and for those people there isn't much anyone but God can do since they have decided to believe in lies. I'll use an example- A church who votes to accept a gay pastor and those who dissent are made to feel as if they were being "unspiritual" so they need to ask forgiveness.

Hey Starise.. ever think about the fact Christ would not ask us to do something He wouldn't do. 1st Cor 13. Love does not remember wrongs or the Amp “It takes no "account" of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].” I pray at times for the lord to forgive me for sins I don't remember and to not hold them to my "account". I know pain deep pain from others that you seem to never be able to forget as in 40y later. Yet the verses that comes right now is "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." All things are possible to them that believe"

He would not ask me to to something He would not do. Do I forgive yet treat them as if I remember it still? Christ as man knowing the heart said Father forgive them they don't know what they do. The 12 -1 all walked with Him. Peter “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter again “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” All of them seen things 99% of us never have yet all walked away from Him. Just what did He remember after He rose?

So for me the enemy just robbed me of many years of peace. See I know there is no one that has the right to control me. I personally make the choice to remember or not to forgive to talk no account. So just who was it that kept bringing it back to me? Not the sweet holy Spirit. I just say NO.. and then quote His word. They  never did anything. I once had that "account" book full of things I remembered yet I look it at now and.. there are no pages, there all gone. I say I can't.. He says I can with Him, through Him because I am a new creation ..old things are passed off all things have being new. 

Edited February 14, 2024 by TheBlade

[Littlelambseativy]

Forgiveness is for our mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. To hold a grudge harms us. Sin is Christ’s to forgive. 

[Starise]

I see some of this as knee jerk with me if I'm placed in a situation Satan sets me up for, or maybe if it's just me being stupid, yes I guess I can say that here if I'm talking about me. 

Knee jerk being that immediate hurt we feel at being stepped on, insulted, cut off, yelled at.

This is reflexive with me most of the time. I sometimes don't have a slow down and consider button. I am on the defensive immediately.

Forum replies can be calculated. Real life often doesn't work like that. Think about what offends us? Is it waiting too long in the fast food lane at McDonalds? The very nerve :)

It's funny how this looks from both ends. The hurried worker in McDonald because two employees called in sick listening to the impatient cry baby tactics coming from some people.

Then there are the more passive aggressive things. Like the guy in the office who took all of the credit for what you did. I'll get him. Seriously I'm too close to retirement to care about any of that, but these are the kinds of things that happen. How about the deliberate snubbing that goes on in some circles? Why did they invite her to that and not ME??? She thinks she's all that.

We can even hold unforgiveness toward God. Why does he get to tour all across the country while I'm stuck here in a church with 10 peaople leading worship?

God- Because I said so. 

This is where we need to see our value no matter what our task.

[FJK]

@Starise. it is said that a kind word turns away wrath, but a kind word can also bring joy to someone as well.

[Littlelambseativy]

1 hour ago, Starise said:

I see some of this as knee jerk with me if I'm placed in a situation Satan sets me up for, or maybe if it's just me being stupid, yes I guess I can say that here if I'm talking about me. 

Knee jerk being that immediate hurt we feel at being stepped on, insulted, cut off, yelled at.

This is reflexive with me most of the time. I sometimes don't have a slow down and consider button. I am on the defensive immediately.

Forum replies can be calculated. Real life often doesn't work like that. Think about what offends us? Is it waiting too long in the fast food lane at McDonalds? The very nerve :)

It's funny how this looks from both ends. The hurried worker in McDonald because two employees called in sick listening to the impatient cry baby tactics coming from some people.

Then there are the more passive aggressive things. Like the guy in the office who took all of the credit for what you did. I'll get him. Seriously I'm too close to retirement to care about any of that, but these are the kinds of things that happen. How about the deliberate snubbing that goes on in some circles? Why did they invite her to that and not ME??? She thinks she's all that.

We can even hold unforgiveness toward God. Why does he get to tour all across the country while I'm stuck here in a church with 10 peaople leading worship?

God- Because I said so. 

This is where we need to see our value no matter what our task.

If offended on a forum... walk away log off or on a new topic and do not respond... end it.  If someone in person offends you, smile, walk away and ask God to forgive them and do not let the enemy's fiery darts continue to get you. Easy to say but forgiving is the best.. as Jesus said.

[Starise]

It also helps to know some enjoy that process. Sad but true. They enjoy trying to tweak us. I think I’m pretty much past all that.

Please don’t anyone attempt it :)

[Charlie744]

22 minutes ago, Starise said:

It also helps to know some enjoy that process. Sad but true. They enjoy trying to tweak us. I think I’m pretty much past all that.

Please don’t anyone attempt it :)

I am sorry Starise, I won’t be able to do that…. I must insist the next time you post a picture of one of your “meals” that look delicious and appealing, that you also provide the recipe. That is definitely intentional… so wrong…😪

Best wishes, Hungry Charlie 

[farouk]

On 2/14/2024 at 6:21 AM, furrychristian said:

I see it as therapists simply discovering that the Bible is correct about forgiveness being good for you.

It's healthy to get back to the Bible and its message of saving faith in the Savior and His finished work at the Cross.