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Post by SunnyGirl on Feb 8, 2004 16:01:38 GMT -5
The Stepping Stones to Forgiveness- Be open to the possibility of changing your beliefs
about forgiveness. Recognize that forgiveness is an act of strength, not weakness.
- Be willing to let go of being a victim. Choose to
believe that holding on to grievances and unforgiving thoughts is choosing to suffer. Find no value in self-pity.
- Remind yourself that your anger and judgments
can’t change the past or punish someone else, but they can hurt you. The events of the past cannot hurt you now, but your thoughts about the past can cause you immense distress and pain. Recognize that any emotional pain you feel this moment is caused only by your own thoughts.
- See the value of giving up, not some, but all of your
judgments. It is no coincidence that the happiest people are those who choose not to judge and know the value of forgiveness.
- Recognize that holding on to anger will not bring you
what your truly want. Ask yourself this question, " Does holding on to my justified anger really bring me peace of mind?" Anger and peace; judgment and happiness do not occur at the same time.
- See that there is no value in punishing yourself.
Once you truly recognize that your angry, unhappy thoughts about the past are poisoning your life, you will embrace forgiveness and know the meaning of love.
- Believe that forgiveness means giving up all hope
for a better past! Accept your past, forgive your past, and embrace the present and future with hope! There is no law forcing you to remain a victim of the past.
- Choose to be happy rather than right. When we
stop trying to control others and focus instead on our own thoughts, we give ourselves the gift of freedom and peace.
- Believe that you have the power to choose the
thoughts you put into your mind. Perhaps the greatest gift we have been given is the power to choose loving thoughts rather than angry ones. Your mind is not a dumpster that will remain unaffected by the trash you put into it. Treat it like a garden and it will blossom.
- Be willing to make peace of mind your only goal
and believe that forgiveness is the key to happiness. Regardless of the chaos around us, we can know peace if that is our single goal. Choose not to let outside circumstances or people decide whether you will be happy. Anger, judgments and unforgiving thoughts make suffer, and releasing them brings us joy. It truly is that simple! groups.msn.com/myCourseinMiracles/tenstepstoforgiveness.msnw
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Post by caressa on Dec 6, 2009 18:09:28 GMT -5
Like this. Forgiveness has been an ongoing thing for me, especially when it comes to my part in my son's life which led him to the path of his own addiction. He made his choices as I did mine and yet there is a part of me that has trouble letting it all go and forgiving myself. Attachments:
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Post by SunnyGirl on Dec 6, 2009 22:03:05 GMT -5
I used to feel a lot of guilt, where did I go wrong raising my daughter and son... Today I know God has forgiven me and I no longer have to punish myself for my shortcomings!
Thanks for bringing this one up to the top of the page, it's a good reminder...
Peace on the journey, SunnyGirl
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Post by majestyjo on Jun 20, 2015 4:13:52 GMT -5
Some good thoughts renewed and some new ones to think about. He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven. --Thomas Fuller We have all seen adventure movies in which the heroes or villains are caught on a bridge that collapses. As they fall to whatever lies below, they are perhaps able to climb to one side or the other. But for the time being, their ability to cross between the two sides is gone. When we have been hurt by people in our lives, or when we have hurt others, mutual forgiveness is needed in order to rebuild the trust between us. It is very much like rebuilding a bridge - one piece at a time. We take cautious steps at first - testing the safety and strength of our bridge. When two people have become separated by loss or anger, it is forgiveness that can rebuild the bridge between them. Forgiveness needs time and so does the rebuilding of trust. Today's Gift from Anonymous www.inspiringthots.net/movie/forgiveness.php
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Post by majestyjo on Jun 20, 2015 4:17:54 GMT -5
We will sabotage ourselves if we don't believe we deserve success. Maybe we could try a different approach - stop torturing ourselves for the things we have done wrong and then try forgiveness instead. We can make amends by doing service work – a way of keeping that self-sabotaging guilt at bay. Sometimes people don't know how to directly ask for forgiveness, but their behaviors will tell us that's what they're saying. Whenever somebody asks for forgiveness, whenever we have a list of resentments, whenever we've done something wrong, it's a good time to start making things right. 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact by Melody Beattie The forgiveness process: virtuouscycles.blogspot.ca/2009/09/forgiveness-process.html
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Post by majestyjo on Aug 18, 2019 13:10:48 GMT -5
Forgiveness is difficult. I was asked why hadn't I forgiven myself. I was 6 years sober. I replied, I didn't think to ask. So often don't forgive because we don't think we are worthy of it. Old tapes can be killers. All those "Thou shall note's got in the way.
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