| Someone once told me "Anyone who says | | | | The mind that was in Christ forgave before the deed |
| forgiveness is easy has never done it." For a long time | | | | was even done. That's the paradigm that Jesus lived |
| I held that to be true. Forgiveness seems like a | | | | in. Remember Jesus came to bring forgiveness. That |
| dreadfully difficult task - especially if the deed is | | | | was His purpose so His mind approached everything |
| particularly terrible. | | | | from that perspective. |
| So how do you forgive for good? | | | | From that perspective forgiveness was already |
| First of all - how do you know when you have really | | | | provided. |
| forgiven another? | | | | Could you develop that mind? |
| Here's a simple recipe. When you can think of the thing | | | | Believe it or not, you can. It's really amazing what |
| that was done to you and feel no emotional charge | | | | happens when you do. |
| around that person or event you have forgiven. | | | | You become much more free. You no longer worry |
| I would even say that the "forget" part of "forgive and | | | | about who does what. Even your judgment of others |
| forget" is exactly that. It's not that you develop | | | | will relax. That's helpful to meet one of the other |
| Alzheimers around that individual memory - it's just that | | | | commands of Jesus - "Judge not that ye be not |
| you no longer have any attachment to it - no energy | | | | judged". |
| spent there - no more upset when the event or | | | | This is the only way to forgive for good. You may try |
| person comes to mind. | | | | forgiving over and over and over - but you will find that |
| That's the goal. How do we get there? | | | | you're stuck in an endless cycle. |
| To achieve true forgiveness - for good - requires a | | | | To begin developing the mind of Christ simply start |
| new mind set. | | | | entertaining the possibilities I've described here. Spend |
| Paul in his letter to the Philippians said "Let this mind be | | | | some time thinking about the way Jesus offered |
| in you, which was also in Christ Jesus". | | | | forgiveness even to those who nailed Him on the |
| That's what is required - a new mind - the mind of | | | | cross, Judas and others. |
| Christ. | | | | Think about what you'll lose if you forgive. |
| Have you ever noticed what happens when you | | | | Don't worry about who's right and who's wrong - in |
| change your mind? Suddenly everything changes. It's | | | | case you don't know it - that's an endless loop. Like a |
| like the previous situation never existed. | | | | mouse on an exercise wheel you'll expend a lot of |
| That's what it's like when you change your mind about | | | | time, energy and effort and get nowhere. |
| what others have done to you - and what you've | | | | Cultivate the mind of Christ - forgive for good. |
| done to others. | | | | |