I THINK WHAT IT IS JOHN IS THAT SOME PEOPLE FEEL TO FORGIVE IS TO FORGET AND ALLOW SOMEONE TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN. IN THE BIBLE JESUS SAYS IF SOMEONE SLAPS ONE CHEEK, TURN THE OTHER AND ALLOW THEM TO SLAP THAT CHEEK ALSO. I MUST ADMIT, I AM NOT THERE. I UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS IS TELLING US NOT TO RETALIATE, HOWEVER, I WOULD MOVE AWAY FROM THEM. WE MUST FORGIVE BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE FOOLISH AS TO RE-ENTER THE ARENA THAT YOU WERE DELIVERED FROM- WHERE YOU WERE ONCE HURT AND ABUSED. THAT IS THE CAUSE OF SO MANY DOMESTIC ABUSE FATALITIES THAT OCCUR- NOT BEING ABLE TO FORGIVE WITH WISDOM TO GET AWAY. FORGIVE, YES. PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ABUSED YOU, YES. PUT YOURSELF BACK IN THAT SAME POSITION? NO. I AGREE WITH YOU THAT BITTERNESS HURTS THE BEARER PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY. THERE IS NO WAY ONE CAN WALK AROUND WITH HATE/UN-FORGIVENESS IN THEIR HEART, NOT IF YOU LOVE GOD(1JHN 4:20-21). GOD FORGAVE US OUR SINS, THUS, WE 'MUST' FORGIVE OTHERS, FOR AREN'T WE ALL SINNERS, SAVED BY GRACE? BUT FORGIVENESS DOES NOT MEAN GOING BACK, IT SIMPLY MEANS - 'MOVING ON' WITH NO HARBORED HARD FEELINGS. THE BEST TEST I HAVE FOUND IS THIS; IF YOU CANNOT PRAY FOR THE SALVATION SOMEONE WHO HAS INJURED YOU (AND I MEAN HONESTLY PRAY FOR THEM FROM YOUR HEART)THEN YOU HAVE NOT FORGIVEN THEM. AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. THE WORD OF GOD TELLS US TO PRAY FOR OUR ENEMIES, TO LOVE THEM AND THIS WE MUST DO(MATT 5:43-45). THANKS FOR SHARING, JOHN. LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH...JOYCE * HIS INSPIRATIONS

What a thought provoking poem, John, and it is profoundly true.
Just like His word says: "If we don't forgive others, He will not forgive us." A paraphrasing-

Thank you for sharing it with us in the Den,and continued success.
Barbara J. Henry

Again, you have provided the words I needed most today. This is something I am going through someone whom a dearly love in the family. I was fretting until I came to your write. Thank you!!

Love ya!

Jane

Clearly it's written in the Lord's prayer a person who refused to forgive the same won't be forgiven by God. Forgiveness means freedom!!!

Now that I've lived long enough, those it had some kind of a grudge against me all seem to have succumbed to bad karma. I didn't have to do anything for it to happen. I believe it was their own evil dispositions that did them in.

Ron