Forgiveness: The Other Side

If we are honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that the reason we have difficulty forgiving others is because we sincerely believe we are justified in our withholding forgiveness. We become the judge of the offenders and by harboring bitterness and resentment against them; it is our distorted way of meting out punishment. After all, our wounds are deep and our heart severely punctured.

At the core of our unwillingness to forgive of course, is our own selfishness-the "me" factor. We are deeply focused on what was done to "me." We refuse to let ourselves heal and we therefore become prisoners of the self, forever pacing the narrow cell of animosity and self-pity. Some folks have sentenced themselves for life and they are still dismally serving their time.

Scripture is clear in its warning to not usurp God's responsibility. It is not our job to "get even." As Paul wrote to the Romans, "Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord'" (Romans 12:19). We must surrender the idea that we need to punish those who have hurt us. God has His own timetable and His own way and we have to relinquish the desire to even "get them told."

For our own emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being, forgiveness is central. Nothing I can say would exaggerate its importance.

Every human being possesses the capacity to forgive though, granted, it may not be easy. It may not be easy to forgive because it requires an acute awareness of our own need to been forgiven.

Forgiveness has two sides that are forever linked together: the forgiveness we need from God and the forgiveness we owe to other human beings. Until you forgive others, you are not able to receive forgiveness from God. You cannot receive forgiveness because by your unwillingness to forgive, you have blocked the entrance to your heart barring God from entering. God will not force His way through. But, in recognizing and understanding our own need to be forgiven, we are released from the pride that binds and enabled through God's power to forgive others.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. http://www.clergyservices4u.org. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, will be available soon.

Alexis limo rentals ..
In The News:

Who needs roads? The WindRunner aircraft was designed specifically to haul massive wind turbine blades, some of which are over 459 feet long.
A Google DeepMind team has developed an artificial intelligence system that can play video games like a human and take native language commands from players.
Four of the largest school boards in Ontario, Canada have launched lawsuits against TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat, claiming that they have impacted students' thinking and behavior.
Finalists for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Nonfiction, aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in nonfiction publishing, were unveiled on Wednesday.
Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson breaks down whether the government is watching citizens and what they can do to protect online privacy.
A benchmarking group for artificial intelligence has released new results evaluating the speed of hardware in running AI applications and responding to users.
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane provides a glimpse into the future of space travel. Traveling to space may become a part of everyday life.
The new European Hyperloop Center in the Netherlands aims bring in a new era of transportation. The center will use a steel tube as a proving ground for testing the new vehicle.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
While it may be incredibly tempting to have a “go with the flow" mindset like the rest of your vacation, your technology definitely should not be compromised while traveling.
Have you ever accidentally deleted an app from your iPhone that you’ve already paid for? Don't worry. We’ve got a trick that will help you get it back without having to buy it again.
Apple's new Journal app has raised privacy concerns among Apple's userbase. Tech expert Kim Komando examines social media rumors and explains what steps to take to protect yourself.
Although Facebook has denied that our phones listen to us, they do have other ways of finding out what we are talking about, listening to and searching for.
With the integration of OpenAI technology, Figure 01 has taken a significant leap forward, showcasing the potential of robots to understand and interact with us on a personal level.
Port Ellen, newly reopened whisky distillery in Scotland, is using SmokeDNAi technology to understand mouth-feel and flavors during the whisky maturation process.
Telly, a smart TV firm, is promising to give out their 4K 55-inch TV for free. What must you give in return? The innovative, yet potentially unsettling, answer might shock you.
The moment a spam invite hits your calendar, it’s like an uninvited guest at a party. So, what do you do? Show it the door.
Identity thieves are now targeting children and are making large sums of money by exploiting children's identities, possibly hurting their financial future.
There's a clever way to change the notification sounds on your Android without having to look at your screen. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
If your bank accounted has been hacked, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent it from happening again. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The Wave House, a data center in Heidelberg, Germany, is the the largest 3D-printed building in Europe. Its walls were built in about 140 hours.
Some government agencies around the world are struggling to meet their staffing goals when it comes to hiring artificial intelligence experts.
Google Maps' recent upgrades have introduced real-time ETA and turn-by-turn directions to your phone's lock screen while you are traveling.
Kat Cammack says AI could disrupt the 2024 election. A report says shared AI image tools generate election disinformation in 41% of cases and voting disinformation in 59% of cases.

Why Is Your Prayer Of Faith Lacking Results?

About a month ago I opened up my bible in... Read More

Christian Ethics & Servant Leadership in Todays Workplace & Society

Sundered Knight:Although the world, Denies the weak aid and justice,... Read More

The Kabbalah of Transformation: Turning Darkness into Light

THE KABBALAH OF PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION: TURNING DARKNESS INTO LIGHT"In the... Read More

The Reality of Fairies

No, I have never seen a fairy, an angel, nor... Read More

A Word Filty Spoken

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in... Read More

Shallow Victories

How many of you out there have ever wondered if... Read More

Forgiveness- The Path To Healing & Spiritual Growth

The dictionary defines the word forgive as: [to pardon, as... Read More

Kundalini Awakening - Definition and the Path

Kundalini Awakening - the sure shot method for awakening of... Read More

Discovery of the Soul

Imagine yourself marooned on a vast deserted island. You have... Read More

Integrating Soul And Science

"Spirit is beyond the void of space. This realm, beyond... Read More

Kachina Doll

To a shaman a kachina isn't really a doll or... Read More

Choose Life or Death

No one, not even God can make us choose the... Read More

The Power of Angels - An Interview With Rose Ann Schwab - Part 1

Rose Ann Schwab is an internationally and world renowned professional... Read More

Spiritual Marketing

Let me say that marketing can be a corrupting experience.... Read More

Be Abundant...Set a New Mental Equivalent

Limiting beliefs, just like positive, empowering thoughts, provide a foundation... Read More

Searchable by Jesus

Some people go to physics and spiritual readers for advice... Read More

New Century; Same Old Story

In His graciousness, God has blessed us to enter a... Read More

Leaving Storyville

One of the most difficult barriers... Read More

Jesus: The Greatest Scapegoat

It seems more people today are using the Christian god... Read More

Choosing Our Parents

There's a Native American belief that before we are born,... Read More

Let Go Of My EgGO--Pride Cometh Before A Fall!

Years ago a commercial ran for eggo waffles. It showed... Read More

Esoteric & Occult Secrets

To understand the nature of esoteric and occult secrets it... Read More

Giving From the Heart

I thought for sometime that I was hard done bye... Read More

Spirituality: Impersonating Jed McKenna

"No man is a prophet in his own country."That line... Read More

You Can Influence Your Fortunes In Life

Natural laws exist that serve to maintain order in the... Read More

car service from Midway Alsip ..