What are your feelings on FORGIVENESS?
Here are some points to consider...
* In any event, both victim and predator must seek to forgive and be forgiven
* It can be worst off for a victim who does not forgive
* People who were abused should forgive, BUT do not have to keep associations with the abuser
* Forgive means to forget too, BUT this does not mean we do not learn from it, it means we 'grow' from it
* True forgiveness comes out of Love
What are your thoughts on forgiveness? Has there been an experience you have heard about (or in your own life) where forgiveness really thought you something about being full of forgiveness?
Of course we know Christ was and is a true example of forgiveness. Although he was the Son of God yet he forgave those even that killed him.
Yes, I have been in situations where I have to forgive and another situations where I needed to ask forgiveness.
As the scripture well says, it's a commandment to forgive those who hurts us, JesusChrist said that we must forgive all men but God decides who can be forgiven or not.
Personally, I think forgiveness is one of the greatest qualities of our Saviour and if we call ourselves christians we should make the effort to forgive to those who offend us and more..pray for them as JesusChrist said.
Of course it's not something so easy but I know we can work on that. To keep bad feelings or experiences in our minds are not good either, nor to choose the right time to do it. As quick as we can forgive, the better, we will get rid of bad feelings and be also an example to others. It's not easy to try to be like Christ, but did he can ask us to do or to be something he knows we cannot do?. :)
Just a tip to help-
I think that if someone hurts you and they do not ask your forgiveness you should carry on and forgive, do not judge them and do not condemn them but you could avoid another instance by staying away. And if you seek forgiveness a merely 'I am sorry' is not good enough. Apologize, forsake and make restitution. In other words, go the extra mile and there is definately a good chance you will never do it again. My personal message is always correct your mistakes the RIGHT WAY and the Atonement does that.
That's so true and it's important to mention as the original post that when we truly forgive the faults of someone else, then we FORGET it, we don't keep it in the back of our minds in any instance and bring it up when it's conventient for us.
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The word predator has been related to the words "Sexual Predator" in church manuals that deal with sexual immorality.
Pres. Spencer W. Kinball wrote a book titled the Miracle of Forgiveness that covered a multitude of different type of sins.
In the book he spent a great deal covering the law of chastity in great deal. From immoral thoughts to immoral actions of every type. In the book he made no mistake in allowing the reader to understand that sin separates man(or woman) from the presence of God.
In it he made perfectly clear that one could be forgiven of just about any type of sin in this life if one were to follow JC in a life of obedience.
One of the chapters that I really enjoyed discussed sins of ommissions. Those are the "little" sins that are easily put aside as "acceptable". For me that would be getting to church late. They add up. All sins add up and are not good. It's a very powerful book that really opend my eyes and ears to the importance of pure obedience.
I believe that HF desires nothing more of us than to return home. The gospel lays out the way to return. Sadly we are not perfect and sometimes we lose our patience or our faith and we find our way venturing into habbits that are not good and separate us from HF.
This is where the Forgiveness comes in. IMO it is important for one to always be examining ones personal worthiness and striving to "love" the Lord by keeping his commandments. Fortuanately if we get off track or lose our way their is a way to be forgiven. It is by the pure love of Christ that mankind can understand all virtues that are Christ like. I have come to value those virtues and though I am not perfect I know that in them I find true peace and happiness.
I am more concerened with where I stand with HF then where others stand with me. I forgive people every day. Its not that hard.
That doesn't mean I have to be there freinds. If I don't feel any type of true friendship with them I will let God carry out the life of the individual and I will move on with mine.
Good topic for the new year.
[quote]Catracho, what a great response. I could not say it better!.
Sometimes depends on what happened, forgiveness is not something too easy to do, but if we want to have peace within ourselves, we need to do it.[/quote]
Thanks. :) The world really would be a better place to live in if people were able to forgive each other.
Yes, that's true. Today I was thinking that it seems so easy to say 'forgive and forget' but when a person experience real bad experiences like murder or rape, I think it's not easy at all. I think is something really hard to do for someone who has experience those things...