Forgiveness

This coming Sunday morning, June 14th, I am going to give a teaching concerning, "giving people second chances and when to forgive."

 

You won't want to miss it.

 

One principle on this subject I would like to give you today is this (in case I don't get to it on Sunday):

 

Never go to person you have had to forgive and say, "I forgive you." 

 

This will be counterproductive every time.

 

Perhaps that person doesn't know that they have offended you.

 

Perhaps they have forgotten about the incident altogether.

 

Perhaps they have already asked for forgiveness, you struggled in giving that forgiveness and now, after processing the event, are ready to forgive.

 

And you come up to them and say, "I forgive you," and they are thinking, "I thought we already took care of that."

 

Many times, if you approach someone and say, "I forgive you," they are going to say, "for what"?

 

Most of the time, nine times out of ten, the people I have had to forgive sincerely do not feel that they have done anything wrong.

 

So it is up to me - to you - to forgive them from my heart - and then keep quiet about it.

 

Just a thought for a Tuesday.