A Life Filled With Grace

[25yearsmlc]

From Keep Going---
"Yes, forgiveness is for ourselves and I understand that it could be learned skill. And I want to learn it too. The question is how???"

Absolutely that ^^ is the biggest question and challenge for me. I guess the first part to grasp was that indeed, forgiving would free me (my anger was consuming ME & MY time...) and that forgiving would NOT risk further hurt or cause more painful behaviors from my h.

Second, okay so we "get it". We know we want to forgive. We even decide to do so. But, now what? HOW? Yes, I think as Val says, practicing forgiveness does help. Absolutely, but it means in part knowing what it is.

I also think that seeing our spouse through God's eyes helps. It's NOT easy but it's sort of simple. And when we see ourselves as we truly are, in HIS eyes, beauty AND warts and all, we are not scary unlovable monsters underneath all those layers...which is what we fear.

We are humans with good hearts who want to love and be loved. We've made mistakes and our heart might be covered with layers of fear or hurt...God knows, literally, that we have our regrets. But life is a long learning process, isn't it?

All we can do is our true best, and then leave the results up to God.

Here's something I heard long ago at Essential Experience and posted here awhile back. See if it helps.



Or the World Will End...

And so it happened that the skies everywhere turned dark and thunderous and suddenly a loud Deep voice from above, said "THE WORLD WILL END IN 7 DAYS."

Upon hearing this, people everywhere noticed that suddenly everyone's faces began to change colors or bore marks. Their faces bore the colors & marks of their sins.

For instance, some had green lines on their face for envy or jealousy, red for lust, or their foreheads had "A" on them for adultery, "T" for thieves, etc. "L" for liars, etc.
"C" for coveting, "M" for murderers...

The next day, a voice from above AGAIN said "THE WORLD WILL END IN 6 DAYS"...

Now, people began to hide as they realized the meaning of the markings.

Politicians wore bags on their heads, and celebrities began wearing hats and head coverings so no one could see their sins.

Others avoided seeing their neighbors or families and stayed isolated.

People wondered what had happened and governments thought their enemies had tried to intimidate them. Others thought a cruel prank had been played on them.

The next day the same clouds hovered over and the same loud voice told everyone everywhere, "THE WORLD WILL END I N 5 DAYS."

This alarmed people as they began to wonder what it could mean, and where the voice came from.

The next day the same things happened and the voice said "THE WORLD WILL END IN 4 DAYS. "

People began to arm themselves & prepared for an attack or a plague. Some began to fight with those who had betrayed them And those they feared.

When the voice came the next day & said "THE WORLD WILL END IN 3 DAYS", the wealthy people began to give their wealth away and others did acts of service & favors for others...

There was growing panic. Many began to flee the cities. Some of them hid.

Then the voice said THE WORLD WILL END IN 2 DAYS" and everyone began to gather in churches, synagogues, mosques and temples of all sorts. Some built NEW churches, synagogues and mosques.

They prayed & prayed, but still the voice said,

THE WORLD WILL END IN ONE DAY.""

In one home, a couple looked out their window at the clouds gathering.

The husband had the red mark of Adultery on his forehead and the wife had the green marks of jealousy & envy on hers...

The husband saw the darkest of the clouds & he turned to his wife and said

"I hope you know you are the only woman I ever truly loved. Can you please forgive me for how I hurt you?"

She said "Yes, I do forgive you. I was so angry. Can you forgive me for my built up resentments & the cutting remarks I made?"

And he too, said, "yes, I forgive you."

Suddenly, the marks on their faces vanished.

Suddenly, their faces cleared completely as they held each other tightly hugging--AND FORGIVING….

They realized why this had happened, & the word quickly spread.

Brothers who had been estranged for years, put aside their resentments,
and embraced,

couples let go of their painful pasts, their lists of grievances, and reunited.

Former business enemies shook hands,

Warring nations, tribes with feuds, each stopped to reach out & make peace,

for they FORGAVE each other…

and the faces cleared as did the skies above…

Forgiveness cleansed the world, and the world was saved.