Bible Discussion Thread

One of the difficult things for me , in regard to forgiveness , is being able to let go of the pain . If someone has done something very bad to you ,and you decide to forgive them , that's good but , how do you let go of the pain that they have caused you ? Your forgiveness might be genuine but what if the pain of what they did to you is still there ? How do we get rid of that pain ? In my experience the only way to ease these pains is through prayer to God to ask Him to heal the painful wound . Thy Kingdom Come .

Hi Jema.

This is a great topic, being that we all have dealt with having to forgive someone and also have had to be forgiven ourselves.

Your question, "How do we let go of the pain" is a good question!

I believe a good example of what is expected of us is seen in

Matthew 18:21-35.

The problem is how do we accomplish this?

I believe you answered your own question. PRAYER!

I would add humility to that.

If we humble ourselves and be truthful we all trespass against the Lord and we beg for his forgiveness.

God don't just forgive us, he is longsuffering and he has mercy on us.

We don't measure up to that standard so we also trespass in return.

To demonstrate this kind of display is a virtue of Love.

This is a area we grow in.

When we put forward the effort to perform it, by the enrichment of the Spirit we achieve it.

Pain turns into compassion.

When that person hurts over what they've done, you share that hurt with them and feel sorry for them.

However, when they're not sorry for what they do this may be something we can not get over without God's strengthening.

When this trespass is done over and over again this act becomes a reckoning.

It is who that person is and it defines the times we live in.

It is who we once were also and probably behave that way still.

This is where we examine ourselves considering Galatians 6:1

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; CONSIDERING THYSELF, LEST THOU ALSO BE TEMPTED.

If this is not a Brother or Sister it may be a chance to witness.

Galatians 6:9 "And LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, if we faint not.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

God bless you Jema.

I'm sure this is an area we all come up short in but we all should be growing in.

Praise God for his longsuffering and Mercy.

Thanks for your excellent reply , I will say again to all though , check out Robert Morris lecture on forgiveness , I don't know anything about him or his mission , so if you've already decided that you don't like him for some reason , try to put that aside . He really does illuminate the subject . You are of course correct , we hurt from other people's behaviour towards us but , we must remember that we have hurt others , we may not even realise it ! Forgiveness is a massive part of the Gospel and a subject worthy of study . Thanks again for your reply , hope you have nice day :) .

Thanks Jema.

I listened to Robert Morris

Devine Benefits Devine forgiveness Pastor Robert Morris.

"Be forgiving". 4 of 4.

"How forgiveness can transform your life.

I never heard of him but I enjoyed it and certainly would recommend it.

All three.

Thanks again.

God bless.

Jema, I wonder if it's just normal that we continue to hurt after being wronged. It's a fact that we are suffering the collateral damage of another person's sin. Maybe it's not anything that God requires us to "get over". I had a bad experience with two relatives who could care less that they hurt me. It just adds yet another layer of "terrible" to think I'm not being a good Christian because I am unable to really forgive in my heart.

Anyway, I look to the Biblical model, the way we are restored to a right relationship with our God. And secondly, Numbers 5:6-7, the person who commits the trespass against another human being, is given instructions to repair the damages.

6 Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty;

7 Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.

So that's really the way it's supposed to be. The person who was wronged should be made whole again. Up to five times . Then, the wronged person is in even better shape than before. And, that would eliminate grudges. If my two relatives would write multiple letters of apology to all my relatives, if they would correct the slander. If only. Then, I would feel able to truly forgive. Maybe God does not expect anything other than that for me.

Dear Hadassah , thanks so much for your reply to me , it seems we are in similar situations :) . Both my mom and dad were vile to me from me actually being a baby , my dad would not allow me to be touched / cuddled etc except at feeding time , my mom would get up in the night and he would have taken all my clothes off and pushed my cot under a wide open window saying that I felt too hot . We escaped from him when I was 7 . My mom is mentally ill and not a natural mother , to put it politely . She's old and frail now and none of our family or friends will help to look after her without being paid to do so because they don't like her very much . For a couple of years now I've been helping her a few days a week and I've noticed myself getting more and more over emotional , which isn't normal for me . I've told my mom that I've forgiven her but , I think my wounds are opening up a bit because I'm spending so much time with her . Pastor Robert Morris was on TV yesterday talking about forgiveness and if you can find it check it out . It was very powerful stuff . He basically said that if we don't forgive , we are making ourselves god's . He talked about what a large chunk of the Lord's prayer is about forgiveness , how when Joseph was re united with his brothers and they talked about forgiveness , his response to them was : am I in the place of God ? Only God has the right to retain sins , He says : vengeance is mine , I will repay . Also , freely ye have received , freely give , this is forgiveness . We also have to believe we are forgiven and that we did nothing to earn God's forgiveness , because if we think we earned His forgiveness then our mindset will be that others have to earn our forgiveness . It was a good lecture and I recommend it to anyone struggling with this issue . I have and will continue to pray to God to ask Him to heal my wounds , my dad died 2008 and I hadn't seen him for decades but spending this time with my mom has been hard . I need God's help :)

Jema, agreed. Forgiveness is so difficult. I can say I forgive, but am I carrying a grudge? Once, I heard someone say to forgive like a banker. The banker knows that the money is owed, but "forgives the debt". In the same way, I can release the offender even tho I get nothing in return. They don't have to say sorry. They don't owe me anything.

Even tho I will still remember that there was a debt, and I cannot forget that truth. But, I "forgive" the debt of them making things right with me. I release them from the obligation. Now, obviously, we would not have a restored relationship. But, at least I won't be boiling mad all the time.