... And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever Amen. For if you forgive those who have sinned against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you of your sins. BUT, if you do not forgive those who have sinned against you, neither will your Father in heaven forgive for give you of your sins. Amen!:glow:
Jesus taught His disciples to pray and is an example of how we are to make our requests known to God when we pray.
This is the model prayer for all believers who follow Christ.
This prayer and what Jesus speaks after He has prayed, about forgiveness lets us know that forgivenness in not an opiton. And that Forgiveness is not something that is earned, it is something that is given. Forgiveness is not for the benefit of the other person, but forgiveness is for our benefit spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Unforgiveness causes many health problems in many areas of our liives and in our bodies when we hold unforgiveness toward someone.
If we do not forgive, we demonstrate an attitude of being ungrateful toward God for all that He has forgiven us. An unforgiving spirit is displeasing to Him, and prevents Him from blessings us as He should. Unforgiveness is sin! And when forgiveness is not heartfelt, this is not forgiveness at all.
(1) What do you think an unwillingness to forgive a person reveal about us?
(2) How can we know that we have truly forgiven a person from the heart and not simply gone through the motions?
(1) What do you think an unwillingness to forgive a person reveal about us?
Maybe it reveals that we were hurt really badly. Or that we are stubborn and without love. We cannot forgive on command, it nees time, time for the love to grow and heal. So unwilling would only be when someone keeps love down, and this would be hate and not from God, but reveal the influence of the enemy. But I also believe we cannot tell from outside, as we cannot look in people's hearts. Supposingly they have just been hurt really really badly. Never presume evil wen it could be weakness and hurtness.
(2) How can we know that we have truly forgiven a person from the heart and not simply gone through the motions?
I do not understand the question. Really, i we have forgiven we know it. If we preten to have forgiven but are angry on the inside, we know it as well. If we have forgiven and are afraid that we have to be even more forgiving and wonder if we need to forgive deeper and more and better, I wonder if this is the freedom in faith we should be having. For we know we are forgiven.
When the Lord tells us to pray that we want to be forgiven as we forgive, we will know how we forgave. If we would be content with this kind of forgiveness, all is fine I guess. If we find flaws in the forgiveness we did, like we woul want more of it for ourselves, there's something more we could do.
But being afraid of having done right and really right and really really right and not done any wrong is the thinking of someone who has not yet understood the forgiveness of God, who loves us without us being perfect. If we had to be perfect in forgiving, wouldn't that mean that we don't want to accept Christ's gift to us by dying for our sins, wouln't that mean we are proud to think we can forgive enough ourselves and do everything perfectly now...?
1) I'd say that if a person is unwilling to forgive then they need to seriously examine themselves. Someone who cannot forgive no matter what is likely someone who has not experienced the forgiveness of God.
If someone wants to forgive but is struggling, thats another matter. It is common, especially in situations of extreme hurt and betrayal to have trouble forgiving. in those cases, all you can do is daily, hourly, every minute *choose* to forgive and to hand it over to God and to leave it at the cross, and submit to the Healing power of the Holy Spirit.
2) Forgiveness is a choice one makes not to hold hard feelings against another person. If you've reached the point where you don't feel bitterness or anger when you think of them,then chances are good you're there.
Its important to note, however, that you can reach this state but make a choice not to allow that person back into your life. Sometimes it will be necessary to make the choice to sever your connections with that person in order to protect yourself. Its both unwise and unhealthy to allow yourself to be put into a situations where you're constantly having to forgive someone who is bent on betraying and hurting you. at some point you have to stand up and walk away.
WOW! you guys are good!:applause::dancingp: I just pray this discussion doesn't get all messed up and off course with any off the wall outbursts, like most of the good topic do... :laugh:
We tend to think that forgiveness means letting someone off the hook and forgetting they ever wronged us. We say, "forgive and forget" but rarely do. I doubt that the Scriptures say that we are to forget the sins committed against us but we are to forgive. One thing to keep in mind about all of the commandments in the Bible is that they are all for our good. We are commanded to forgive those who violate or offend us.
Forgiveness isn't about the person forgiven but about our need to not harbor bitterness and so not reflect the character of God. Bitterness, anxiety, anger and revenge are the things God tells us not to get involved with. These are all things He has taken responsibility for. When we forgive we free ourselves of the emotional attachment we have to the offense.
We also expect to see a change in those we forgive and become even more aggravated when they don't. I wonder how you think God feels when He extends forgiveness through the death of His son and we walk away from Him and continue in our wickedness. Forgiveness has been given to all men but many do not accept it.
Why do we expect more from those who offend us while we are willing to give less to God for what He has done for us?
I consider forgiving part of a process to healing. This healing involves the person who was done wrong and the person who did the wrong. Forgiving therefore stands never alone.
I feel, we cannot ask forgiveness to God for something we have not even tried to straighten out with the person in question! However, I sometimes feel that this is exactly what happens: We ask God for forgiveness and consider it done, leaving the most painful part with the person in question for what it is.
Forgiving can also easily be made very cheap, even manipulative. Especially when it is seen as a christian trade mark. The one who asks for forgiveness somehow expects a favourable answer on before hand.
Forgiving can be very difficult and sometimes even impossible. Some events in history but also traumatic experiences in our live, where we experience the senseless loss of a very dear person which turns our lives upside down... we can not simply forgive. We cry out for justice and we also are very angry with God that he alllowed this to happen.
So I would say, forgiveness never stands alone. It is part of a healing process. Asking forgiveness is one, granting is something else but healing eachother in Christ, I feel that is what it should really be about.
If both hearts are relieved. One from the burden of having done wrong and the other from the pain of suffering, then there is room to forget. Forget in the sense of getting over it and being able to get on with your life and actually enjoy it.
As the scripture says, IF God forgives us, we are all the more to forgive others who have sinned against us. If we DO NOT forgive them, God says very clearly, that HE WILL NOT FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS AGINST HIM.
Forgiveness is NOT an OPTION if we dare to pray or wish that we should be forgiven. FORGIVENESS IS A COMMAND FROM GOD.
Jesus forgave us of our sins, and we cucifired Him, oought not we find such forgivennes in our hearts to forgive others? I would think so. Unforgiveness is a self-center act of vengeance, which only causes you more pain and hurt. God says He will recompense...
I know a person who is dead and gone 40 yrs., and a person never forgave and still to this day talks about how this person cause her pain and hurt. Like, duh, the other person is DEAD??? ok, so whose causing the pain and hurt? The dead person or the person who is alive and still holding on to unforgiveness from the past?
We are also told that when God forgives us, He casts our sins into the sea of forgetfulness and REMEMBERS THEM NO MORE... Forgiveness also entails forgetting, but we are to remember not the pain or hurts, but the circumstances by which and by whom this occured... just as God told David, to remember what and how your enemies treated you and what they did to you when you were down, as not to get entrapped again.
BUT we are to forgive our enemies, and keep it moving. However, I can't find anywhere that we are told to love our enemies so much that we are to allow them to repeat their offensives against us... Sleeping with the Enemy..
And haven't we ALL sinned and cause hurt to God and others? And seek His and their forgiveness? Trust is earned, and it can be reestablished in process.
I would say that knowing that you have forgiven a person is when you can face the person, and see him/her in the same light of love, as before oyu or they caused hurts or pain in the emotion. Being with one another in friendship As of nothing ever happened. To me, , That's forgiveness... when it no longer hurts to be in the company or speak in kindness to, or with a person.
