Forgiveness is not Condoning

[If Not For Grace]

If someone has not done wrong they are not in need of Forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not about restoring the offender to the position they held in your life prior to the offense.

Actually, It is something you do for you...and it is not optional for the Christian.

"Forgiveness does not mean condoning or agreeing with a horrendous act. It is a decision to no longer attack one's self. Forgiveness is, quite simply, the decision to not suffer. To forgive is to make the decision to be happy, to let go of judgments, to stop hurting others and ourselves, and to stop recycling anger and fear. Forgiveness is the bridge to compassion, to inner peace and to a peaceful world. It is my hope that forgiveness becomes as important, as involuntary to us as breathing"-Jerry Jampolsky, Author "Love is Letting Go of Fear"

 

[If Not For Grace]

You are reading from the book Today's Gift: Daily Meditation for Families

I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow.
—William Blake

... We have a right to claim our own feelings. Sometimes we get angry, but hold it inside because we think it's wrong to feel it. If anger builds inside us, it expands like a balloon ready to burst. If not released, it can make us depressed, or even physically ill. When we give ourselves permission to feel anger, we are better able to get rid of it in a healthy way. Our inner voice can tell us how to let go of our anger. And once we've released it, we can easily get in touch with the feelings that caused it.

When we recognize our anger for what it is--one feeling among many others that makes us unique--it loses its significance, and we can prevent it from consuming us. Indira Ghandi said, "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist." When we let go of our anger we can honestly embrace each other with open arms.

Am I carrying around anger which could be released today?