Forgiveness

At a Roundtable a while ago entitled “Lord, Teach Us to Pray,” part of the class was spent on the Lord’s Prayer. A participant shared something she had heard to the effect that we should not be praying this prayer if we were carrying a grudge.

Some of the instructions from the teacher were, “We don’t want to block lines of communication with God by being unforgiving. The Bible tells us don’t come to the altar unless you have forgiven others, including yourself — you cannot really have a relationship with God if you haven’t done this. If we hold grudges, the fellowship with God is broken. If Jesus forgave on the cross, we must as well. Go home and get on your knees and forgive as you would be forgiven.”

When I got home later in the day, I took time to look at where I could do better forgiving or facing something I still hadn’t let go. The thought kept pulling at me, “Who wants to be cut off from God?”

Before coming here, I read many different books and tried practical tips to take steps to forgive. It was a good step to take, and much better than not doing anything; but nothing compares to what I am learning here in helping me truly forgive as Jesus taught us.

Regular support from my practitioner here has been softening my heart and changing negative thinking patterns, and is slowly breaking down walls in my life. In the past my approach to forgiveness was more of a mechanical approach by creating a list, which has its place. But this time I sat quietly and asked God to open my thought and my heart to greater forgiveness. Gently but clearly, names came to my thought, some of whom I hadn’t thought of for many years. Each time I asked God to help me forgive, and that they would feel my forgiveness. It felt like I was unpacking old baggage. I felt lighter and began to feel a freedom and peace, for which I am very grateful.

I am so grateful that the classes here reach deep into our being, bring meaningful growth and freedom, and make us better workers for God.