tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post2199182706911065773..comments2023-10-14T07:53:27.701-04:00Comments on My Thought-filled Journey: Letting Go and Moving OnMTJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-83746401514335395042010-09-17T21:25:35.657-04:002010-09-17T21:25:35.657-04:00Tiffany: You continue to be an inspiration and sou...<b>Tiffany:</b> You continue to be an inspiration and source of encouragement. Your love for Christ, believers and the unsaved is effectively communicated.MTJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-43961122638604017112010-09-17T19:56:52.725-04:002010-09-17T19:56:52.725-04:00God's timing is amazing...LOVED this post...sp...God's timing is amazing...LOVED this post...spoke straight to my heart. You can never truly move forward until you have TRULY MOVED FORWARD. And that movie...it still stays with me...thank you for the post, and for the awesome references. God bless!Tiffanyhttp://prayeverydaytogod.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-952825289092766062010-09-17T08:16:49.122-04:002010-09-17T08:16:49.122-04:00Virginia: Thank you for your kindness. It's t...<b>Virginia:</b> Thank you for your kindness. It's true, "<b>In Jesus, we do have the Victory of walking in forgiveness.</b>"MTJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-87182968510819570622010-09-17T00:46:45.267-04:002010-09-17T00:46:45.267-04:00Thank you for your amazing post and honesty on bei...Thank you for your amazing post and honesty on being hurt.. IT IS NOT EASY TO FORGIVE WHEN WE HAVE BEEN HURT.. It takes prayer and lots of it to move to forgiveness..<br />In Jesus we do have the Victory of walking in forgiveness. <br /><br />Blessings,<br />VirginiaMake a Joyful Noise all ye Landshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325894443485974652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-56469802530151965472010-09-13T05:27:59.943-04:002010-09-13T05:27:59.943-04:00Marydon: Thank you for visiting. May God be prais...<b>Marydon:</b> Thank you for visiting. May God be praised that something in this post spoke to your heart.<br /><br /><b>Sue:</b> Like you, I am appreciative of the grace and patience God extends to me. To say, "<b>I am praying for you</b>" and <i>actually pray for someone</i>, speaks to me of one's desire to uphold their word; <i>this is what integrity means to me.</i><br /><br />It causes me to reflect on how often I've said something and not meant it. How patient God has been with me, teaching me the value of honoring my words. God is faithful, I too, want to be faithful.MTJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-88452633914316209952010-09-12T18:19:56.293-04:002010-09-12T18:19:56.293-04:00Thank you for sharing this post on forgiveness, I ...Thank you for sharing this post on forgiveness, I too have experienced this type of pain by a fellow believer. And it took me a long time to ever forgive, I knew that I had forgiven them, when I could say that I was praying for them, and really meant it. <br />I am so thankful for God's patience with me<br />Blessings,<br />SueSuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16949983164111997270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-62904507741393216542010-09-12T13:11:38.781-04:002010-09-12T13:11:38.781-04:00This couldn't have com eat a more appropriate ...This couldn't have com eat a more appropriate time ... my first day to come participate ... & in Mass today the words reached out on this same topic ... TYSM for this write.<br /><br />Have a beautiful week ~<br />TTFN ~Hugs, MarydonAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05697196986038110683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-16541905310967462952010-09-11T17:30:04.843-04:002010-09-11T17:30:04.843-04:00Cliff: Thank you for visiting and sharing your tho...<b>Cliff:</b> Thank you for visiting and sharing your thoughts; <i>they are appreciated.</i> I knew this post strained the word count threshold, I considered splitting it up, but felt doing so would dilute the impact. I'm thankful it didn't deter you.<br /><br />I challenge myself to write creative, effective, concise and interesting subjects. Reading books on writing and authors who serve as <i>virtual mentors</i> help to give me a framework to articulate my thoughts.<br /><br />Writing is a new venture for me. I don't say that as an excuse, simply to acknowledge that much like my Christian journey, <i>I am a work in progress.</i>MTJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-12589673199815329772010-09-11T16:32:26.444-04:002010-09-11T16:32:26.444-04:00Excellent post in every way. You got my attention ...Excellent post in every way. You got my attention from the beginning and I had to keep reading. Most of the time I will not even begin to read a post this long. Thank you for posting these important words in such a clear and easy to understand way.Musings of A Ministerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15991359333687288549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-23444013769020010562010-09-11T11:40:38.378-04:002010-09-11T11:40:38.378-04:00Patty: Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You&#...<b>Patty:</b> Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You're so right! Our hurt and pain is, "<b>very real</b>" but forgiveness isn't condoning the actions of others that cause hurt and pain.<br /><br />I believe in order to get beyond the hurt and pain, I must escape the prison that holds me in that place. For me this is not conditional upon someone else acknowledging a wrongful act committed. This has become my own personal struggle now and for me, I will not be held hostage; <i>I no longer view forgiveness as optional.</i>MTJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-77478655030393183142010-09-11T11:11:47.675-04:002010-09-11T11:11:47.675-04:00I thing what binds us to unforgiveness is your quo...I thing what binds us to unforgiveness is your quote, "We do not forgive based on merit". I believe we are afraid that if we forgive it somehow condones what the offender has done...it minimizes our hurt and pain which are very real. Great post. Very thought provoking. PattyLemon Lane Studiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16528274847678520168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-88465851256690422722010-09-11T10:32:10.738-04:002010-09-11T10:32:10.738-04:00Sarah: Though we've never met, I consider you ...<b>Sarah:</b> Though we've never met, I consider you as my friend, not because of anything you say to me; <i>because of the woman you are.</i> I find encouragement and inspiration from those who've faced adversity, those who gone through the fiery trials of life. The things I've faced as a Black man now seem miniscule when I learn what so many others have gone through.<br /><br /><b>Joan:</b> Thank you so much for visiting. You are so right! There is a comfortable (<i>-ness</i>) in retaining an unforgivable offense. It becomes a familiar kind of companion who constantly reminds us of our pain. And yes, the pain we feel is now self-inflicted.<br /><br /><b>Bobbi:</b> Thanks so much for visiting. Your adage made me laugh because it reminded me of a scripture I read this morning, Romans 12:20 says, "<b>But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.</b>"<br /><br />I agree with you, forgiveness is not <i>giving someone the license to do evil</i>; <i>it does not approve words or behavior that hurt.</i> It's my acknowledgement to God that, "<b>I will not be held captive by the thoughts, words, and behavior of others, and that I forgive them.</b>" As Jesus said, "<b>...they do not know what they are doing.</b>" That along with my own need to be forgiven is my motivation.<br /><br />This is something which I now practice in my life; <i>I see the benefit of following the example of Jesus.</i>MTJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-25469609826500669532010-09-11T09:51:53.273-04:002010-09-11T09:51:53.273-04:00Hello MTJ, my first visit and wow what a powerful ...Hello MTJ, my first visit and wow what a powerful one. Forgiveness or the lack thereof is one of the largest contributors to my patient load as a psychologist. Personally, I have come to understand that forgiveness is not letting someone off the hook, making it ok whatever it was they did to hurt me. Forgiveness is saying I will no longer let this action have any control over my life and I will pray for this person, group, etc. that the Lord reveals Himself to them.<br /><br />I have an adage I use in my therapy to address unforgiveness and it goes like this: "If I am harboring unforgiveness in my heart it is like I am drinking a cup of poison, putting down the cup, and saying to my offender,"There, I hope that hurts you."<br /><br />Thank you and God bless you for a great post. -BobbiINSIDE THE SHRINKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05847815538742805926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-58705482296178360542010-09-11T09:43:24.734-04:002010-09-11T09:43:24.734-04:00Hi MJT:
This is my first visit to your blog (and ...Hi MJT:<br /><br />This is my first visit to your blog (and it won't be my last). This is a powerful post with a lot of things to digest. I like the analogy you used with the butterfly wrapping itself in a cocoon. <br /><br />Often forgiveness is difficult - I think sometimes we want to hold on to those feelings because we are comfortable in our unforgiveness. However, it does affect our relationship with God when we don't forgive. Truly we are not hurting the person, but ourselves.<br /><br />Thanks for this powerful post. I'm planning to read it again and ponder some more.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />JoanJoan Hallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16430939897829160498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-79079357863370150522010-09-11T08:23:04.520-04:002010-09-11T08:23:04.520-04:00HI MTJ, I remember reading this in August...and it...HI MTJ, I remember reading this in August...and it's appropriate for me to read even now again. Everything you say here is so right...and true. Thanks MTJ for posting this...for the reminder...Have a great weekend. SarahNikki (Sarah)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13731200601840020130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-22451986865463071762010-09-11T08:02:22.134-04:002010-09-11T08:02:22.134-04:00Charlotte: Looking back in retrospect, I see that ...<b>Charlotte:</b> Looking back in retrospect, I see that things happen that are unexplainable. Each of us experiences hurt in some degree; <i>some moreso than others.</i> I don't consider it denial to say that, "<b>I've been spared genuine hurt</b>". When I read about the willful murder of so many lives, I'm thankful that God's grace carried me through the murder of my younger brother.<br /><br />I admire Max Lucado as a writer and Christian. I'm glad to hear that you too have been able to forgive.<br /><br /><b>Charlotte/For Such a Time As This:</b> Thank you for the visit and for sharing your thoughts on forgiveness. I believe that it's imperative, particularly in this time in our society, that we Christians show the world the depth of forgiveness. I realize that on this day in particular, many Americans continue to carry the pain from the violent terrorist attack nine years ago, still, we Christians have an opportunity to demonstrate the value of being forgiving. I pray what I've written helps and encourages.<br /><br /><b>Renee:</b> You're so right! Allowing ourselves to experience God's love operate in our life teaches that we have a greater capacity to forgive than we could imagine.<br /><br /><b>Ginger:</b> I may be mistaken but I think what you're referring to is a quote from an anonymus comment on another blog I referenced. That comment became the catylst for this post. It was my desire to speak to those who still carry the burden of their hurts. <i>I do agree with you, God truly blesses us to experience the freedom resident within our capacity to forgive.</i><br /><br /><b>Kaye Swain:</b> I cannot believe that it's in my best interests to carry the burden of hurts and painful emotional scars. Realizing that I must <i>choose to forgive</i> empowered me to experience liberation which I believe God desires for all of us; <i>to be free in every area of my life.</i><br /><br />Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.<br /><br /><b>Whidbey Woman:</b> Thank you for visiting...I pray that you experience an even deeper level of God's blessings in your life and that through you others may experience the quality of God's love. <i>I just felt the need to say this to you.</i><br /><br /><b>Dayle:</b> Thank you for visiting. I see you are a writer and that you offer help to those who aspire to write. Writing is a unexpected new beginning in my life; <i>I look forward to reading the insights you share.</i>MTJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-9722285050762831582010-09-10T22:22:39.382-04:002010-09-10T22:22:39.382-04:00What an awesome post. God bless you!What an awesome post. God bless you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-32214690055810327692010-09-10T21:01:43.709-04:002010-09-10T21:01:43.709-04:00What an excellent and thought-provoking post on th...What an excellent and thought-provoking post on the topic of forgiveness. I lean often on the Lord's Prayer - "forgive us our sins and we forgive others." What they choose to do - whether ask forgiveness, accept it, etc. is for them and God to deal with. I just have to make the choice for my own self. And as you rightly point out, God definitely calls us to choose to forgive - even if we don't feel like it. Like Sarah said, when we make that choice - over and over - God will take care of the feelings. Thank you for some excellent thoughts to ponder. :)Kaye Swain - SandwichINKhttp://www.SandwichINK.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-88709467189737908052010-09-10T20:52:00.404-04:002010-09-10T20:52:00.404-04:00I'm so sorry that you your hurt so bad that it...I'm so sorry that you your hurt so bad that it's hard for you to forgive. I think that once you truly forgive the Lord will bless you with a freedom that is not even imaginable. Thank-you for sharing your heart.<br />God Bless,<br />GingerGinger~~Enchanting Cottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15930442106195929472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-55708817457485520112010-09-10T19:47:21.523-04:002010-09-10T19:47:21.523-04:00Goodness, what an indepth and insightful post on a...Goodness, what an indepth and insightful post on a subject that is so important...forgiveness. We really need God's own love to work through us to forgive those who hurt us deeply and yet forgiveness is so healing. Thank you for sharing.Reneehttp://www.myautumnyears.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-17322411766605901602010-09-10T17:53:48.358-04:002010-09-10T17:53:48.358-04:00This is the first time I've been to your blog ...This is the first time I've been to your blog and I'm glad I stopped by. This subject is hard because it's overshaddowed with so much emotion, yet it's vital for our growth as Christians to get past it and forgive. Thank you for your explanation of how to forgive and move on...I'm sure it will touch many and help set them free.Charlotte/For Such A Time As Thishttp://www.myfathersgirl.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-68402543554823236722010-09-10T15:04:17.207-04:002010-09-10T15:04:17.207-04:00Welcome back to Spiritual Sundays. The subject of ...Welcome back to Spiritual Sundays. The subject of this post is something I believe everybody struggles with at some time. You're right. It is even more hurtful when the person who has hurt you is another Christian. The first time I ever experienced hurt so deep that I couldn't keep from actually hating the people involved was over 20 years ago. It was a terrible feeling for me because I had never hated anyone before in my life to that point, but I truly hated the people involved in the incident. I prayed and prayed about it and told God that I couldn't help hating them. I asked him to help me to get over it and "move on". It was after I was reminded of the story of Joseph in the Bible in a book Max Lucado had written that I was able to forgive. When I compared my situation to that of Joseph and how much he forgave, I was able to really forgive. And, like Joseph, eventually I could see that what had happened eventually worked out for my good. <br />Thank you for sharing again.<br />Blessings,<br />CharlotteCharlottehttp://char72.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-36543403768262713312010-08-09T20:49:42.958-04:002010-08-09T20:49:42.958-04:00DC: I love you too! Thanks for giving me a woman&#...<b>DC:</b> I love you too! Thanks for giving me a woman's perspective on faith; I enjoyed last night's discussion. You got me kinda hyped.MTJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-41669737436440928762010-08-09T14:15:44.983-04:002010-08-09T14:15:44.983-04:00Thank you Daddy for this post and message on forgi...Thank you Daddy for this post and message on forgiveness. I'm listen and learning a lot. <br /><br />Love you! <br />DCDChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04461749793327406512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785238503949165495.post-32720083615451814962010-08-09T08:23:57.855-04:002010-08-09T08:23:57.855-04:00Merana: I say Amen to prayer.
Dean: That's wh...<b>Merana:</b> I say Amen to prayer.<br /><br /><b>Dean:</b> That's what alarmed me as I studied this topic; <i>just how forgiving God has been towards me.</i> As you say, "<b>How can we NOT forgive knowing God has forgiven us so much?</b>" And no it doesn't negate the pain or nullify the actions, I must acknowledge the pain but I relinquish the authority of judging; <i>leaving God to judge the offender is my best choice.</i><br /><br /><b>Kim:</b> God obviously gave us emotions for a reason but they were not designed to rule our thoughts and behavior. We have great emotional experiences (<i>birth of a child, marriage, ect.</i>) and we experience other emotions which are uncomfortable (<i>death of a loved one, marital failure, abuse, ect.</i>). Understanding my emotions and the role they have in my spiritual walk with Christ is critical to my maturity as a Christian.MTJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13694085588658653915noreply@blogger.com