A Few Words on Forgiveness...

It has taken me an entire lifetime to truly understand and fully KNOW that God's love, forgiveness, and mercy are really and truly infinite. But now that I get this part, what next?

I came to the most important realization a few days ago: that in order to emulate God as fully as possible we must emulate God's love (which is the easy part) AND emulate God's infinite forgiveness and mercy (which is the hardest part). In order to fully get God, that is, in order to be in full communion with God while still alive and have eternal life with God, you must embrace forgiveness. You must forgive all who have wronged you, whether they want your forgiveness or not, as God will be with those people after they die and offer them salvation and redemption if they have the intention to embrace God. The point is, it is not your position to judge others to avoid giving them forgiveness. You have no idea what is going on in the other person's conscience or heart. Forgive them and then just leave the rest to God's most capable hands. And just as crucial as forgiving others, you must forgive YOURSELF. Forgive yourself for everything you are ashamed of. Forgive yourself for every single thing you regret and will never do again. And since God's infinite mercy and forgiveness very much applies to YOU, you are required, in emulating God, to forgive yourself. Forgive yourself and give it to God.

While at work today, I got into a discussion with a co-worker about "an eye for an eye" vs. "turn the other cheek." My coworker is quite spiritual and seems to really appreciate my religious wisdom. When discussing "turn the other cheek," I came to the realization that Jesus didn't mean to literally let someone run topsy-turvy over you by offering your cheeks as slapping posts, but that you are to always offer your complete trust that after someone has slapped you and forgiveness was sought and received, you acknowledge that they have had a true change of heart by offering the other. Emulate God's infinite forgiveness and let it go.

So to bring the point most literally home, I was thinking about forgiveness and focusing on connecting with God and was able to forgive everyone in my entire life straight away (through understanding God has knowledge of all of their hearts and minds), save my beloved mum, who abandoned me, along with my five siblings, when I was a wee lad. I held onto deep anger and fell into deep bouts of depression because of the feelings of being unloved that she left entrenched in my psyche. Turning to God has helped me understand that after she died, my mum was offered salvation and the opportunity for eternal life if she wanted to accept God's forgiveness. If God can offer her forgiveness, I can't possibly go against God's will and not forgive her myself. So I did. I truly and fully do not hold one iota of hostility toward my mum and I feel fantastic!

What are your words on forgiveness?