Forgiveness : An Observation

Sometimes it is hard to forgive someone who has hurt or wronged us. Revenge rears it's ugly head and possesses us, but does revenge really assuage our pain or hurt ? I think that the only thing that truely grants us peace is to forgive the person who caused our pain. After all , how can I ask Jesus to forgive me if I refuse to forgive he, the person, or persons, who wronged me ?

Comments

[Rain]

I believe in forgiveness but that doesn't mean the person who did wrong doesn't have a responsibility to make things right. To me forgiveness isn't about religion or believing we won't be forgiven if we don't forgive. It's purely selfish. when we forgive, we release and whatever we hold in the way of hate or bitterness only hurts ourselves. So it's self-interest to forgive and forget if possible.

[Paul]

From a Christian perspective we cannot receive forgiveness if we ourselves do not forgive.

[Rain]

I used to say I was a Christian but do not believe in the required dogma to be one today. When I came to understand grace (which was when i parted ways with the local church) and my full understanding of what grace means, I saw no room for rules. Live by rules or live by grace. It's your choice. We should forgive because it's the right thing to do, not because we fear the consequences. I suspect a forgiveness done to get forgiveness won't go very deep. Better is first of all to realize that the one who did you wrong was doing what worked for their lives. [That's when you shake the dust off your feet if what they do doesn't work for your life]. Forgiveness is what is healthy for ourselves. It takes a weight off.