Forgiveness

The Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness as "to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offence or debt". I have been struggling with this in my life recently. I won’t hash out the details but I had a falling out with my sister. I don’t know how to move on and forgive her. I don’t even know how to be around her. I have so much anger, resentment and bitterness toward her that I don’t even know what the first step is. In general, I usually forgive fairly quickly so I don’t harbor all the negative feelings. You know the saying about forgiving but not forgetting…well I can’t seem to do either. I know it’s wrong. I know I should. I just don’t know how. I heard once:

Three things that make a person:
~ Commitment
~ Sincerity
~ Hard Work

Three Things in life that once gone, never come back:
~ Time
~ Words
~ Opportunity

Three things in life that can destroy a person:
~ Anger
~ Pride
~ Un-forgiveness

Three Things in life that is most valuable:
~ Love
~ Family & Friends
~ Kindness

It’s true…Un-forgiveness, not being able to forgive, the inability to forgive will destroy you. It will change the person you are. So what can be gathered from above is that I sincerely need to forgive my sister for the words exchanged between us because my anger will just get the best of me and nothing is more important than family. The Lord says “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37 What I need to realize and anyone who has this problem is that we are only hurting our selves. I have to stop dwelling on her words and actions that have hurt me because “in those who do not harbor such thoughts hatred will cease.” Now i begin the journey of forgiveness.