Forgiving Others

by Bill Krause

Many times when you do not know you need something, you will not make a big enough effort to make sure that it happens.  When we were younger, we did not know that brushing our teeth well was for our advantage and not just a result of parental nagging.  As a result we did not realize the consequences of not brushing well until we were moved out of the house, paying our own bills in addition to those new dental bills.

It is the same way when we do not forgive others.  While we are going through the hurt and pain, we do not see the damage we are causing to our own lives.  The fatigue of the incident slowly consumes our life as we go over and over the incident.  The more we think about what was done or said to us the more angry we become. 

We are no longer able to go to certain places because we might run into the offender.  The further we go down the path of not forgiving, the deeper we go into the bowels of prison only to be released by our self.  The further off the path of forgiveness we go, the harder it becomes to live an active, healthy, wholesome life.

When you pull yourself up to the path of forgiveness you part the dark clouds and allow the sun to shine brightly.

When we forgive others it does not change the past or make any impact on what has already been done.  We cannot erase actions that have already taken place.  The past will, however, become the past when we forgive and move forward.

Once we forgive others we give ourselves the platform to change our future.  We can begin to look past our pain and build our tomorrow.  With forgiveness we have the ability to see our hope and our future.  We can turn our sadness into joy, our darkness into light and our tears into laughter.

You have been created with the ability to choose.  You can make the choice to forgive and go forward or choose to continue to destroy yourself.  If you choose to walk in unforgiveness you will rob, kill and destroy your future hopes and plans.

One of the greatest things you can do to get even with those who have come against you and hurt you is to go ahead and succeed.  Do not let their foolishness work negatively in your life and hinder your forward progress.

Choose to forgive, go forward, use what you have learned and developed to help others.  Take your pain and turn it into others’ deliverance.

Be a deliverer with forgiveness instead of a destroyer with unforgiveness.

STEPS TO FORGIVING OTHERS

1.  Realize my need to forgive others and the penalty of not forgiving others.

2.   Forgiving is for my benefit.  I stand to make the most or lose the most depending on my choice.

3.   I can make the right choice and forgive or make the wrong choice and put myself in prison.

4.   Now make the right choice to forgive and let the benefits begin to work in your life.

5.   Make forgiving a habit and a way of life not just a one time event to relieve our pain.

6.   Help others see the benefit of forgiveness.

7.   Now that I am free, be willing to walk others through the process of forgiveness.

Now that you are free, take your newfound freedom to the world full of imprisoned people; teach them the keys to their much desired freedom. Instead of being caught up in your grief and sorrow you are now an agent to set the captives free.