Forgiveness

Found a booklet on "Forgiveness" this evening when i came back home. Some books which i left unread some time ago.

I'd always thought to myself there isn't anyone whom i have not forgiven yet. But i guess, He always speaks to me @ the right time. Yes, well...

Some extracts from the booklet that I would like to share..

"True Forgiveness begins by dealing with sin honestly. "

"Many things may irritate, annoy or upset us about someone else. Those things may require enduring, they do not involve forgiving. Sometimes we feel that someone has wronged us. But the truth is that jealousy, insecurity, or ambition easily distort our perspective. "

"Someone disagreeing with us or hurting our feelings does not necessarily brings us into the realm of forgiveness. Not all wounds are created equal, Proverbs 27 v 6 tells us that.. "wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."

I like this best from C.S. Lewis :-
"Real forgiveness means steadily looking at the sin, the sin that is left over without any excuse, after all allowances have been made, and seeing it in all its horror, dirt, meanness, and malice.."

Its not talking about burying sin under the naive assumption that "time will heal your wounds".. wounds that are not tended do not automatically heal.

"The pains we dare not remember are the most dangerous of all. We fear to face some horrible things that once hurt us, and we stuff it into the black holes of our unconsciousness where we suppose it cannot hurt us. But it only comes back disguised. It is like a demon wearing an angel's face. It lays low for a while only to slug us later, on the sly. " -- Lewis Smedes

"We need to let go of the offense even when the other person won't"

"Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting to remember, but remembering to forget"

Yup.... i've heard You..