walking in grey.
a torn between black and white.20031011
THE WONDER OF FORGIVING
I found a new book and I'm excited to share it with you. It's Forgiveness
Therapy by David Schell.
Here are some of my favorites:
* Forgiveness means bending without breaking, being strong enough to
withstand the heavy weight of injury
but resilient enough to recover. Be forgiving.
* Forgive yourself; for what you regret doing and for what you wish you had
done, for not being fully yourself and for being only yourself.
* Self-forgiveness cleanses the soul, washing away shame and guilt. Out of
self-forgiveness comes the power to extend forgiveness to others.
* You have the right to feel sad, betrayed, angry, resentful when you've
been injured. Understand, accept and express your feelings. Pushing them
below the surface only means they will erupt in another place, at another
time.
* Justice may right the wrongs, but forgiveness heals the hurt. Seek
forgiveness beyond justice.
* Sometimes people hurt you because, like you, they are learning and
growing. Forgive their incompleteness, their humanness.
* To refuse to forgive is to continue to hurt yourself. Victimized once,
your lack of forgiveness keeps you stuck as a victim, holding on to a
victim's identity. Instead, claim the identity of one who forgives.
* No loving relationship is free of hurts. Bind up the wounds of love with
forgiveness.
* When you are having a difficult time forgiving, recall a moment when you
wanted to be forgiven. Offer
the other person what you wanted to receive.
* Forgiveness takes practice. Start with small hurts and work your way up
to the big ones.
* Forgiveness may seem futile when you see no immediate results. But
healing and growth are like fine aged cheese -- not instant mashed
potatoes. Give forgiveness time.
* You cannot change someone for the better by holding a grudge. Grudges
only change you--for the worse.
* When someone won't forgive you, refusing to forgive in return is no
answer. That's like wrapping yourself
in the other's chains. Keep yourself free; forgive.
* To help you forgive, picture the other person surrounded by the light of
God. See yourself stepping into that same light, and feel God's presence
with you both.
* Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; it is something you
do for yourself. Give yourself the gift of forgiveness.
Sometimes, when we have been wronged, bruised, angered or betrayed, it is
difficult to forgive. It is easier said than done. But too much anger and
resentment makes it hard for us to move on. All that pain we refuse to let
go will bury us in a place we shouldn't get stuck in. After the hurt and
anger should come healing, and healing can only take place if we allow
ourselves to forgive.
We should pray that God gives us the grace to forgive. Ask HIM to give us a
heart big enough to be humble.
Once we choose to forgive, then and only then can we heal, then and only
then can we free ourselves of the
burden of our wounds.
Free yourself! Forgive. Allow God's love to thaw your heart!
I found a new book and I'm excited to share it with you. It's Forgiveness
Therapy by David Schell.
Here are some of my favorites:
* Forgiveness means bending without breaking, being strong enough to
withstand the heavy weight of injury
but resilient enough to recover. Be forgiving.
* Forgive yourself; for what you regret doing and for what you wish you had
done, for not being fully yourself and for being only yourself.
* Self-forgiveness cleanses the soul, washing away shame and guilt. Out of
self-forgiveness comes the power to extend forgiveness to others.
* You have the right to feel sad, betrayed, angry, resentful when you've
been injured. Understand, accept and express your feelings. Pushing them
below the surface only means they will erupt in another place, at another
time.
* Justice may right the wrongs, but forgiveness heals the hurt. Seek
forgiveness beyond justice.
* Sometimes people hurt you because, like you, they are learning and
growing. Forgive their incompleteness, their humanness.
* To refuse to forgive is to continue to hurt yourself. Victimized once,
your lack of forgiveness keeps you stuck as a victim, holding on to a
victim's identity. Instead, claim the identity of one who forgives.
* No loving relationship is free of hurts. Bind up the wounds of love with
forgiveness.
* When you are having a difficult time forgiving, recall a moment when you
wanted to be forgiven. Offer
the other person what you wanted to receive.
* Forgiveness takes practice. Start with small hurts and work your way up
to the big ones.
* Forgiveness may seem futile when you see no immediate results. But
healing and growth are like fine aged cheese -- not instant mashed
potatoes. Give forgiveness time.
* You cannot change someone for the better by holding a grudge. Grudges
only change you--for the worse.
* When someone won't forgive you, refusing to forgive in return is no
answer. That's like wrapping yourself
in the other's chains. Keep yourself free; forgive.
* To help you forgive, picture the other person surrounded by the light of
God. See yourself stepping into that same light, and feel God's presence
with you both.
* Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; it is something you
do for yourself. Give yourself the gift of forgiveness.
Sometimes, when we have been wronged, bruised, angered or betrayed, it is
difficult to forgive. It is easier said than done. But too much anger and
resentment makes it hard for us to move on. All that pain we refuse to let
go will bury us in a place we shouldn't get stuck in. After the hurt and
anger should come healing, and healing can only take place if we allow
ourselves to forgive.
We should pray that God gives us the grace to forgive. Ask HIM to give us a
heart big enough to be humble.
Once we choose to forgive, then and only then can we heal, then and only
then can we free ourselves of the
burden of our wounds.
Free yourself! Forgive. Allow God's love to thaw your heart!
