Forgiveness

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#CC9922" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="260d2962dakdei.gif"> <div> <A HREF="id115.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="butt prints in the sand"><U>butt prints in the sand</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id117.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="greatest poem ever"><U>greatest poem ever</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="How to Start Praying"><U>How to Start Praying</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Memories"><U>Memories</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id85.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Firefighters prayer "><U>Firefighter's prayer </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id116.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Celtic Prayers and Blessings "><U>Celtic Prayers and Blessings </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prayers and Poems"><U>Prayers and Poems</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Loneliness"><U>Loneliness</U></A></div> <div> <B>Forgiveness</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="When tomorrow starts without me"><U>When tomorrow starts without me</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Poems to Heal"><U>Poems to Heal</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Poems of Loss"><U>Poems of Loss</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="God said..."><U>God said...</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Final Flight"><U>My Final Flight</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Christmas in heaven"><U>Christmas in heaven</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mothers"><U>Mothers</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Welcome to AVesselofhonor.com</B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >     |    </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to AVesselofhonor.com"><U> home</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >back to</FONT>  <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prayer, Forgiveness, Healing Loss stuff"><U><B>Prayer, Forgiveness, Healing & Loss stuff</B></U></A></div> <div> Forgiveness</div> <div> "Unforgiveness is... Swallowing poison and hoping it harms your abuser. " Joyce Meyer</div> <bR> <div> Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27, 28 </div> <bR> <div> "Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." Mark Twain<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> "There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day." Alexander Woollcott, drama critic, author </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Process of Forgiveness ~~a Twelve Step Program</U></B><B> </B></div> <bR> <div> Here are 12 simple steps you can use to walk through the process of forgiving someone who hurt you in the past. </div> <bR> <div> In order to forgive, you have to acknowledge a need for the forgiveness. Even if someone doesn't ask for your forgiveness, you can't linger hating or having ill feeling for that person as it's harmful to your health (mentally and physically.) </div> <bR> <div> 1. If you feel like you don't know where to start, ask the Lord to reveal the names of the persons who offended you and the specific wrongs you suffered. (most times you will know what's bothering you and won't need much help knowing what needs healing by forgiveness.)</div> <bR> <div> 2. Face the hurt and the hate. If you are going to forgive from your heart, you must let God search the depths of your heart. </div> <bR> <div> 3. Acknowledge the significance of the cross. It is the cross of Christ that makes forgiveness legally and morally right.</div> <bR> <div> 4. Decide that you will not retaliate by using the information about the offender's sin against them (Luke 6:27-34).  Remember someday this person may seek to go to heaven and will have to recount his/her life before God. God is a God of justice, and the Bible says we all "reap what we sow..." So you  don't need to seek revenge or justice, your heavenly father will take care of him/her for you.</div> <bR> <div> 5. Decide to forgive. Forgiveness is a conscious choice to let the other person off the hook and free yourself from the past. (Forgiving isn't forgetting....) Most of the reason for forgiveness is to FREE YOURSELF from the hardness of your own heart. Bitterness isn't needed, give it all to God. </div> <bR> <div> 6. Take your list of names to God and pray the following: "I forgive _________(name) for __________ (specific wrongs/pains)." </div> <bR> <div> 7. Destroy the list. You are now free. Your forgiveness is between you and God unless the offenders have asked you for forgiveness. </div> <bR> <div> 8. Do not expect that your decision to forgive will result in major changes in the other person(s). Instead, pray for them (Matthew 5:44). Some people will repeat their actions over and over, your choosing to forgive them will not change them.....you are setting your own heart free from the burdens of bitterness.</div> <bR> <div> 9. Try to understand the people you have forgiven. By analyzing this person, you may see that he/she is person that can still remain in your life. Others need to be forgiven and forgotten....some are toxic and need to be removed from your walk of life.</div> <bR> <div> 10. Freedom is a result of forgiveness in you. In time, you will be able to think about the people who offended you without feeling hurt or anger. (Read this one over and over.) If the offense was severe, it may always be difficult to deal with this person.</div> <bR> <div> 11. Thank God for the lessons you have learned and the maturity you have gained. </div> <bR> <div> 12. When appropriate, accept your part of the blame for the offenses you suffered. Confess your failure to God and to others (1 John 1:9) and realize that if someone has something against you, you must go to that person (Matthew 5:23-26). </div> <bR> <div> Remember: Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. </div> <bR> <div> Each step may take days, months, or even years to achieve.</div> <div> Like I said, some people may reinfect your need for forgiveness and may cause you to need to start the forgiveness process over and over. </div> <bR> <div> May God be your Guide, and the Bible be your compass on your journey to forgiveness.</div> <bR> <div> --written by sandra</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>