A:  True forgiveness happens the moment either person feels in their heart that the other one is someone they wish to lift the burden of guilt or blame from.  Remember, it takes both ends of a rope to be in a tug-of-war.  (Cause and effect.) But if one wishes – wishes to ‘be’ cause – they can be the one to tie both ends of the rope together to make a circle if they offer no excuses or blame as to what happened or why. 

If you offer forgiveness more often than you ask for it, you will stay stuck in a society where men and women compete for attention (drama) and act out of vengeance with little regard for others.  But if you ask for forgiveness as often as you offer it, you open the door to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Do not let pride stop you from being at peace.  While it may feel noble or justified to offer forgiveness, asking for it is the solution to all your needs and wants being met, for Earth promotes those who keep peace in their minds and hearts as paramount. 

EXERCISE: Every time you feel injured, ask yourself if there might - just might - be a reason why YOU should be forgiven.  Feel in your heart if the reason someone hurt you was more because of them or maybe because of you; behavior that YOU set up. For somewhere deep inside of you there is that small voice of conscious reality teaching you from the position of ‘life lessons through love or fear’.  It’s always there but it’s YOUR choice from where your life lessons come.  Commit to a life where all your lessons come home through love, compassion and gentle reminders. 

For adults with childhood injuries wanting to forgive someone from the past – either living or deceased: Draw a picture of your decision to leave your anger for that person behind and walk into the light.  Allow that picture to be something you draw from scratch.  Offer it as a simple message that allows them to know that you are ready to go on with love while leaving behind all that they said or did.  No other message is as powerful as a picture that you draw.  While this picture is not intended for you to deliver to them in person, it will be a gift that Jesus offers to them in their final hours of soul searching.  Believe it heals both of you!

Love is forgiveness.  It quiets all storms.  Yours and theirs.  No one can take your act of forgiveness away from you when you open yourself up to being forgiven.  It takes trust to make this work.  Trust in your mind and your heart wanting this more than life itself…for in the light of forgiveness it is life itself!

Love and be loved,

LYNN SCOTT