Forgiveness
There is nothing that takes the shine off life more than the emotional baggage of memories full of hurt. Even when those memories are silent they cast shadows, like clouds before a storm begins. They wait for our attention, and when it is given the storm breaks. Then we hear the thunder of judgement, and the lightening of criticism strikes at our heart like a knife through the soul.
Memories of hurt can never be erased in a life journey, but they can be silenced and disempowered by forgiveness.
There are some things that you need to know and understand if your forgiveness is to be made complete. It is then that you will feel a great change in your life.
The past has gone and what has been done cannot be undone. We have all made mistakes. We have all been hurt. We have also caused hurt, and the only remedy is forgiveness.
To withhold forgiveness is to cling to hate, and the desire for revenge. Not only against those who have caused you hurt but also against the Self.
It is when forgiveness for the Self is withheld that people turn to physical Self harm, or seek comfort in addiction.
Physical Self harm is done in attempt to get some relief from the torment of psychological suffering, and as a show of disrespect for the body that the soul feels trapped in.
Addictions are used as an escape from the realities of life, and as a means of experiencing pleasure when it can be found nowhere else.
The third form of spiritual Self harm is cause by rebellion. If you keep telling someone that they are bad when they are simply not understood, they will eventually rebel against their better nature and act according to the way they have been judged.
Hate is like a fire within that is lit by judgement and fueled by criticism. It is with what we judge that determines what we destroy. If our judgement comes from empathy, compassion, truth and understanding, it will destroy all that is not good and right.
If our judgement comes with a lack of empathy, compassion, lies and ignorance, it will destroy all that is good and right.
As we judge, so we are judged.
Only when you forgive all that remains not forgiven will you know true peace once more.
It is in the forgiving of others that we are made worthy of forgiveness.
Understanding replaces ignorance with Truth, and therefore replaces darkness with light. All of our lives begin with the search for understanding, and so our life journey is one of discovery and learning. It is inevitable that we all make mistakes, partly through errors of judgement, and partly through the influence of desire, and also because of what we were taught by others.
When we came into this world we found it full of teachers, all wanting to share what they wanted us to believe in. The reward for conforming was acceptance and admiration. But the punishment for not conforming was rejection and criticism. For some there was even the prospect of physical punishment and even death.
And some of you sit there and blame yourselves for all your mistakes!!
If you had had good teachers would you have made those mistakes?
If you understood then what you understand now, would you have made those mistakes?
It is those who are innocent and possess a righteous heart that know Love and Truth. Is not this the way that we all came into the world?
We came into this world as free spirits in perfect spiritual health, but it was a world full of the spiritually sick. How could that sickness not affect us? The Truth will set you free again, and Love will heal you. But it is through understanding that we become wise.
They teach you that forgiveness for your mistakes is not in your hands but theirs, and as they withhold forgiveness they teach you to hate yourself as they do.
The withholding of forgiveness is the clinging to hate, and the desire for revenge. It is not only the one who seeks forgiveness that suffers, it is also the one who withholds forgiveness.
If revenge is satisfied then the one who has taken that revenge is no better than the one they have taken revenge on.
To withhold forgiveness is to carry emotional baggage.
Of all the judges that we encounter in life there is only one who truly knows you, and that is yourself. It is there that you will find the power of Self Healing. It is time to go to the place within that you have been taught to fear, but you will find only a place of healing.
I know that some of you have much to forgive, and you have suffered so much in silence as I did. It is now time to lay down that burden of unforgiveness and learn once more to Love yourself. You are more precious and powerful than they ever had you believe.