Thoughts on Forgiveness

[Marathoner]

On 2/16/2024 at 11:39 AM, 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.

As for myself, it depends upon the situation at hand. Someone doubting my word at work is a tough one for me; I have become angry and calmed down literally seconds later. What do I mean by doubting my word?

Calling a report into question. It's happened before, and I recognized the root of my reaction: pride. Pride in my track record of telling the truth. It's not that the Lord expects us to be devoid of reactions but rather, He *encourages* us to not be mastered by them. If we stumble, keep walking. 

[The_Patriot21]

Forgiveness doesn't mean blind trusting. There are people from my past who did me wrong, whom I forgave, I legitimately don't have any I'll feelings towards them, but on the same note they're no longer in my life-on purpose. I don't associate with them anymore because I don't seek to let them hurt me again.

Not unless they were to seek forgiveness and show change. And I've had people in my life whom sought my forgiveness and I've let them in. 

So to me it's kind of whether they seek it or not whether they get to stay in my life or not. If they seek my forgiveness and work towards changing them I'll keep them in my life. If they don't seek it and don't show any sign of change, depending on what it is I'll often forgive but distance myself. 

The assumption here is on big stuff, not little stuff.