# Forgiveness



## JetSkiJack

I was on the forum today and figured I would drop and make a post.

Does anyone have someone they want to forgive but find it hard to?

Does anyone have any stories they can share about how they forgave someone and how it changed them?

I believe when we hold these things in whether it be family , friends, whomever it just eats at us and breaks us. Would like to have a discussion!


----------



## bubbas kenner

I'm getting ready to go see Pastor Hagees 4 blood moons movie,and yes we must forgive to be forgivin.Forgiving is hard but it is the only way for us to be forgivin.I walk through this life as happy as I can Gods word changed my life only 9 years ago forgiving has set me free.


----------



## KeeperTX

I had one of my best friends get upset with me over a basketball game that we played. We would always get into arguments but leave everything on the court once we were done playing. Well this one time I noticed that my friend kept avoiding me in church. He wouldn't say hi or talk to me at all. What hurt me more was that he would ignore my kids who were toddlers at the time. 

When I realized what he was doing, my pride took over and I did the same to him. After a couple of weeks I just couldn't take it anymore. I knew God wanted me to forgive him but in my mind this guy needed to learn a lesson. At least that's what my flesh was saying. 

Finally one day I approached him in church and asked him if we could talk outside. I swallowed my pride and asked him to please forgive me. He apologized also. We both cried and hugged. 

It was very difficult to humble myself, but I'm glad I did because I know that's what God wants us to do. And in the end, our friendship was salvaged.


----------



## DA REEL DADDY

One day at work a coworker came in and was very rude, arrogant, and disrespectful to me. I guess it was his attempt at humor. I was so mad and upset I had to leave the office to avoid saying something I would regret. I wanted to get even so I said a prayer for him.

The next day he invited me to lunch and he paid for it. I think the Good Lord touched him and he realized he was wrong.

The best way to get back at someone who has hurt you is a prayer for them. IMO

I made some notes one day regarding forgiveness.

*Ephesians 4:31-32* _Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you_

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22
21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,
or you may hear your servant cursing youâ€"
22 for you know in your heart
that many times you yourself have cursed others.

Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly
Proverbs 14:7 
7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
Proverbs 25:21-22
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.

IMO, forgiveness is more for you than the one who has trespassed against you. Anger and bitterness in ones heart causes all kind of ill things. How can you be the man you need to be to God, your family, friends and neighbors with bitterness in your heart? You cant. Forgiveness is for you so you can be the man you need to be.

Like K said, God wants you to forgive so He can forgive you.

On the other hand, once you forgive someone and he has not changed his ways, that does not mean you need to invite him over for wings to watch the super bowl. Just continue to be kind and Pray for him.


----------



## DA REEL DADDY

JetSkiJack said:


> I believe when we hold these things in whether it be family , friends, whomever it just eats at us and breaks us.
> 
> You are right here Jetski. once again anger and bitterness eating at us will not let us be the people we need to be to the ones that love and need us.
> 
> Without forgiveness we become the trespassers slave and anger and bitterness is our ball and chain.
> 
> Forgiveness is so important in our spiritual and emotional well being.


----------



## DA REEL DADDY

*Read this today and reminded me of this thread*

1 Peter 3: 8-22

_Suffering for Doing Good

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,

â€œWhoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.â€
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. â€œDo not fear their threats; do not be frightened.â€ 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is Godâ€™s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spiritsâ€" 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you alsoâ€"not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at Godâ€™s right handâ€"with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him._


----------



## larar1

Matthew 5:22-26. The scripture basically tells us even if we are angry with our brother we are guilty of judgment. The scripture goes on to say if we are at odds with someone, that it's best to lay your offering aside at the altar , go make amends with that individual then give your offering. We are basically being told that even your giving doesn't make things right if we are at odds with someone. If we know that we are at odds with someone, we are to make things right (forgive) , because if we don't satan has a right to put us in bondage, and we'll stay in bondage until we paid a price, which could possibly be losing your freedom (avoiding that friend, avoiding certain places for fear of having to confront that individual, frustration, anger, hatred, etc.). Matthew 6:15 tells us that forgiveness is unconditional , we are required to forgive in order to be forgiven, we can't give our way out , be good to have a way out. Satan knows the scripture well , and knows he has a right to put us in bondage through unforgiveness . The Lord doesn't want us in bondage , he wants us to walk in freedom. John 8:32. Hopes this helps.


----------



## Mr. Saltwater

DA REEL DADDY said:


> JetSkiJack said:
> 
> 
> 
> I believe when we hold these things in whether it be family , friends, whomever it just eats at us and breaks us.
> 
> You are right here Jetski. once again anger and bitterness eating at us will not let us be the people we need to be to the ones that love and need us.
> 
> Without forgiveness we become the trespassers slave and anger and bitterness is our ball and chain.
> 
> Forgiveness is so important in our spiritual and emotional well being.
> 
> 
> 
> ^^^^^ABSOLUTELY!!^^^^^
> 
> One who has not learned to wholeheartedly and unconditionally forgive is like a man sitting alone in a dark room with the curtains closed tight. He blindly curses the darkness rather than deciding to open the curtains and let the light shine in.
Click to expand...


----------



## squirrellman

Well....I'll share this. I found out last November that my wife had been cheating on me for 2 years.....with several men. After a month of struggling, she decided she wanted a separation, which has now led to a divorce. She filed without my knowing to get child support and get primary custody of my 2 boys (8 and 4) who are now struggling emotionally. I have been staying in church and taking the boys every Sunday that I have them. We are going down 2 different paths in our lives, but between the time she left and now, I struggled with depression, anxiety, and even alcoholism and thought about ending it all. 

Truly forgiving her is something I am working towards every day!


----------



## DA REEL DADDY

squirrellman said:


> Well....I'll share this. I found out last November that my wife had been cheating on me for 2 years.....with several men. After a month of struggling, she decided she wanted a separation, which has now led to a divorce. She filed without my knowing to get child support and get primary custody of my 2 boys (8 and 4) who are now struggling emotionally. I have been staying in church and taking the boys every Sunday that I have them. We are going down 2 different paths in our lives, but between the time she left and now, I struggled with depression, anxiety, and even alcoholism and thought about ending it all.
> 
> Truly forgiving her is something I am working towards every day![/QUOTE
> 
> I admire your courage and strength. I have already prayed a prayer for you and your boys. May the Good Lord continue to lift your faith with hope, courage, and peace.


----------



## squirrellman

Thank you Reel Daddy. I really appreciate that.


----------



## KeeperTX

squirrellman said:


> Well....I'll share this. I found out last November that my wife had been cheating on me for 2 years.....with several men. After a month of struggling, she decided she wanted a separation, which has now led to a divorce. She filed without my knowing to get child support and get primary custody of my 2 boys (8 and 4) who are now struggling emotionally. I have been staying in church and taking the boys every Sunday that I have them. We are going down 2 different paths in our lives, but between the time she left and now, I struggled with depression, anxiety, and even alcoholism and thought about ending it all.
> 
> Truly forgiving her is something I am working towards every day!


Keep doing what you are doing. Your boys need you as a good example. They are looking at you and when they grow up they will thank you for being there for them. God bless.


----------

