Are you living under a cloud of guilt that you can?t seem to shake no matter what you do? Do you feel guilty about everything, all the time? We all have different ways of dealing with our guilty feelings, but none of them work for very long.
Everyone experiences hurt in relationships, but most of the time we are able to forgive and forget. But sometimes we experience a major hurt that lingers in our minds and leads to bitterness. We feel trapped by the resulting hostility, ongoing broken relationships, and inability to move on. Can you escape the sorrow and soul impoverishment that bitterness brings?
Forgiving someone who has hurt you is one of the most difficult tasks anyone ever faces. In fact, it is so hard that most people avoid it at all costs. But when we don't forgive, we pay the price of bitterness that affects all of our relationships. Is it possible to forgive a great wrong and treat others with compassion despite the way they have treated us?
Sally, A Christian, laments having an abortion years ago. "I know the Lord has forgiven me, but I just can't forgive myself." What would you say to her?
Maybe you yourself have struggled with "self-forgiveness" and wonder how to deal with feelings of guilt. Why is self-forgiveness such an attractive notion? What, if anything, does the Bible say about it?
