You guys, not only am I beyond thrilled to announce that Larissa and I will be speaking at the fabulous Ashlee Birk's A Reason to Stand conference in Boise Idaho, but, and perhaps even more exciting, we have a FREE TICKET to offer to someone from our blog viewers. Check out the line up of presenters here ! You won't believe how amazing it looks. It will be a day of healing, growth, and love. The theme of this conference is "forgiveness from within." To enter into the drawing, simply write a comment on the blog with anything about forgiveness. You can share a story, ask a question, make a comment, or relay your thoughts. Winner will be selected one week from today on February 10th so get your comments in before then. Also, we will give a copy of The Pathways Home to the first runner up. I can't wait to hear your stories!
xoxoxoxox
Lenaya and Larissa
Forgiveness for me is when I can live my life without harboring resentment, jealousy, or hatred toward anyone else.
ReplyDelete--Angie
I'm great at forgiving other people... where I struggle is with forgiving myself. Any suggestions about how to do that?
ReplyDeleteI would like to understand what true, genuine forgiveness feels like. How do you know when you've really forgiven someone?
ReplyDeleteThere are two people in my extended family who have done really terrible things and hurt beyond comprehension people I love deeply. I don't feel this great animosity toward them, but I don't know that i can say I've forgiven them either. Most of the time I feel more of an indifference. However, there are moments when i think of the Savior and how, because of Him, all wounds can be healed, so everything is going to be ok and I can let go and not worry about what they've done. But then there are other times when I think of the damage these two people have done, how much they've hurt and broken the family, the many opportunities for repentance and healing they've given up, and the blessings of eternity they've thrown away, and I can't stand it! How can someone do such selfish, self-destructive things?
I think I've been looking for a magic moment when I'd know that I'd forgiven these people, and I suppose that may still happen, but not after one miraculous event. After writing this comment, I can see how the feeling of forgiveness I seek will come by degrees. It is unfair to expect that I could forgive them right this moment. I'm human after all. I can set myself on the path toward forgiveness, and that is enough. However, this takes me back to my original question. How do I know when I've really forgiven someone? Do I need to know what my destination looks like to get there, or is it OK not knowing right now because I'll know it when I find it?