“Jesus tells Peter to forgive seventy times seven times, not because the person we forgive will it that many times, but because resentment can have such a grip on our hearts that we need to forgive that often for our own healing.”
“We forgive, we mortify our resentment; a week later some chain of thought carries us back to the original offence and we discover the old resentment blazing away as if nothing had been done about it at all. We need to forgive our brother seventy times seven not only for 490 offences but for one offence. ”
“It made me wonder how many times we forgive just because we don't want to lose someone, even if they don't deserve our forgiveness.”
“We ask for forgiveness. And we forgive others who ask us. In that way we can experience healing, healing in our souls.”
“We begin to forgive by choosing to forgive . . . by deciding, not by feeling. Our feelings don't lead us to forgive. Most times, our feelings lead us the other way. That's why a person has to decide to forgive first. Our feelings always follow along behind our decisions.”
“Forgiveness is the real strength in us all. Once we give up the need to be right, we discover freedom. Forgiveness is freedom. Forgiveness comes from our highest self. Once we can open our hearts and forgive, we move to the next level of who truly are.”