"It doesn't take a lot of strength to hang on.
It takes a lot of strength to let go."
-- J. C. Watts
On Sunday January 24th, I wrote about forgiveness using a quote from Matthew in the Bible where Peter asks as if he's looking for a reminder of a lesson, if a brother sinned against him should he forgive him up to seven times, and the Lord saying that he didn't say that to Peter, but that he should forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven. A friend reading this post offered some questions, and I said that I would answer them in today's Daily Inspiration.
The questions were, Does the process of forgiveness require a request to be forgiven, or can one forgive the issues of the past without risking being hurt 70 x 7 +1 times? Can one forgive a transgression without the desire to open one up to continued transgressions? Can forgiveness be a one way street?
I've looked at forgiveness pretty well, and I will give you what I have come to know on the subject that should answer these questions and many others too.
According to the Course in Miracles, there are only two states, love and fear. It also indicates to get rid of the duality associated with almost everything in our world, that fear is an illusion, and that the only real thing is love. It is also said that God IS Love, and I believe that to be true also. Some say that God created everything so then God created all the other stuff too, yet I think a simple answer to that is that He gave us the authority in that area, and He gave us an ego too.
The ego was meant to serve us in time of need, and yet so many of us have let it rule our lives instead, and the ego is all about fear. So, in our world of duality, we have the ability to choose love or to choose fear at any time in all ways. When we are listening to or being guided by our ego, whether consciously or unconsciously, being aware or being unaware, choices will always be fear-based.
God also gave us the constant connection to Him or All-That-Is or the Universe, depending on the words you like best, and that we can choose that connection, to align with that connection any time we choose. That connection is always, or in All Ways Love. It's always there. We don't need to be in a particular place or learn anything special. It is always, and in All Ways there.
In our world here in the physical, as we are dealing with fear-based agendas and thoughts, it is a given to build resentments as our ego rules our lives. Our ego is all about being the best, staying alive, while at the same time pointing to our every mistaken choices, real and imagined. Forgiveness is a tool, or an idea that allows us to return to the connection we so desire deep within by letting go of those thoughts.
The quote above says that though we think strength, being tough and resilient, totally in charge, is all about holding on to fear (hurts, grievances, pain, illness, hatred, worry, doubt, blame, revenge, anger, jealousy, guilt, unworthiness, insecurity, depression, powerlessness, discouragement, disappointment, to name a few), but that is an illusion as all fear is. Our real strength, and the only thing that is really real is Love, and we make that choice by letting go--letting go of fear.
What is absolutely true on this earth as we experience this physical life, is that what we focus on expands. We attract more of what we think about, talk about, act about. As we give energy to those hurts, disappointments, transgressions, etc., we attract more of that into our lives. We focus on fear, we attract more fear. It doesn't matter how hard we work on it. The more energy we give it, the more of that we get back. It's really easy to see this in other people, and that is one of the huge benefits of having others around us, so we can see ourselves. The only solution is to let it go, and that is called forgiveness. We give it up. We let it go. We turn and focus on that all knowing connection that is our Source, and is Love.
The person we need forgiveness for is ourselves, because all of those fear-based, ego-driven thoughts and actions and imaginings are purely our own. People say these things are real, but they are only pretending to be real. We always get to choose between fear and love. We have no need to ask or beg forgiveness from another, we need only let it go and turn toward love, focus on love, and as we are loving, we are healed.
Fear of being hurt again, having transgressions upon us again is fear. All of that stuff is fear. Is forgiveness a one way street? Absolutely. We must forgive ourselves. We do that by letting go of fear and turning to love. What I have forgiven no longer exists. It is done. I am healed. I am whole. I am love.
Choose Fear Or Choose Love. It Is Always, In All Ways, Our Own Choice. Love IS Letting Go Of Fear.
Spread Some Joy Today--Love is joy. Joy is love. What a great thing to spread around today. It takes no effort. Simply be that true self you know you are deep within.
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