It’s Thanksgiving. The perfect time to reflect and say thank-you for all of the things you have been blessed with in your life. A time to hug your loved ones and let them know how much they mean to you. It’s a time to step out of yourself and recognize what’s truly important.
After you’ve said your thanks this year, I challenge you to do something more. I challenge you to forgive.
Thankfulness is easy … forgiveness isn’t.
Think of that person that has wronged you or hurt you deeply. Have you forgiven them for their mistakes or are you letting that situation stop you from moving forward? Are there people that you do your best to avoid just so you don’t have to deal with past crap? Are there places that you refuse to go to for fear of running into someone you don’t want to see?
Are these same people that you’re running from, people that you once loved with all your heart? When you’re wronged by someone that you love, it seems to hurt twice as much. But for some reason, these special and important relationships are quite often never repaired. These hurts run rampant in our own families and it is such a shame.
My question to you is this, is it really worth it? Why are you willing to let someone else control your happiness and experiences? Stop letting the past dictate your future and move forward. Are you really okay with never having a relationship with these people ever again and are you truly content with living a life full of avoidance? We tell other people to forgive and forget all the time but yet it’s so hard to do ourselves. I say that we start taking our own advice and choose better.
Forgiveness does not equal weakness. Never, ever confuse the two. Forgiveness is about moving on and letting go. It doesn’t mean you have to forget or that you have to fall back into old patterns or acceptance of abuse. It means that you are giving yourself the freedom to breathe and move forward. It means that you are taking the power back for yourself and living your life to the fullest.
Be thankful for the people in your life, the good times, the bad times and the times yet to come. Be thankful for the joys you have experienced and the lessons that you have learned. Be thankful that you have the ability to forgive and move on. That is something to be truly thankful for.
Tagged: forgiveness, letting go, moving on, thanks, thanksgiving
I absolutely agree. Another one of my favorite quotes is “to err is human, to forgive divine.”
Forgiveness is tricky … but it certainly is a breath of fresh air after the fact. Thanks for reading!!
When we refuse to forgive others, we extend our own suffering. Often the “guilty” party isn’t even aware of the slight that we are holding onto.
Exactly. So not worth fighting about something that really doesn’t matter in the long run.
The old saying, “Good to forgive,best to forget” came alive through your post. Thanks for sharing and Congrats on FP!
Thanks for the congrats … that is pretty fun isn’t it?
It really is
This is the third time the topic of forgiveness has come up for me in the last three days. I think it’s time I really heed the message. Thanks for posting.
Yikes; me too!
Gotta love when life hands you lessons and answers.
Let it go.
Amen and amen.
Ooh .. I’m an “amen and amen” girl too.
I couldn’t agree more, its a touching post
Congrats on Freshly Pressed!
Check mine too?
Cheers!
Thanks for the Congrats … off to read yours.
This is fab. Really really. Considering the day I experienced yesterday with a virtual contact…it’s quite awesome. PS, congrats on the freshly pressed!
I love when I find “timely words”. So glad that it made a difference for you.
So very true. Great post. Congrats on being FP.
Thanks!!!
Great post. Congratulations on being FreshlyPressed!
Thanks so much!
Excellent post.
I also like to remind my therapy clients that forgiveness doesn’t mean you’re saying that what was done to you was ok, it just means that you’re accepting that what has been done will never change.
So very true. Thanks!
Reblogged this on Wisdom Within Coaching and commented:
Happy Thanksgiving!
Well said.
Thanks!!
Some of my most challenging relationships have gifted me the greatest insight into myself. Lovely, reflective post.
yes its important to forgive… to cleanse out the bitterness from within, because you don’t deserve to live with with… and to move on… and let go… rightly said… it was nice reading ur post
Thanks for the kind words.
Wow, amazing post. I think it gave me answers to questions I didn’t quite dare to ask, not even quietly in myself. Thanks, very wise and very moving! Congrats on being freshly-pressed! : )
Life is too short not to forgive, don’t you agree?
Agreed.
Thanks for sharing. http://www.segmation.wordpress.com
I love the vibe you’re creating here. Great post!
Thanks!
Loved this post and have learned just lately that the forgiving is for me not the person that has hurt me.Thank you for reminding me and Aaaaaaamen
Amen.
There’s no doubting it, holding a grudge can twist you into a knot, it can eat you alive. Sometimes it can turn you into a person that you no longer recognise or like. But I’ve found that ‘forgiveness’ can be a stumbling block. I’d rather come in by the back door and ‘let go’. When it’s genuine it’s possible that after you’ve let go of the anger and the grudge you are able to forgive. Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed.
Gratitude and forgiveness go hand in hand in our home…when we realize that God has forgiven each one of us, who are we to withhold it from others? I had the opportunity to forgive someone very close to me a few years ago, and by God’s grace I was able to, and so the relationship is still thriving. It doesn’t come naturally to us; we gravitate towards anger, resentment, distrust, and bitterness. Every time those feelings keep creeping back to the surface (and they will, let’s be honest), I’ve had to just hand them over to God and ask for that same outpouring of grace that allowed the initial forgiveness to happen. Healing continues, the scars fade, the feelings of having been wounded come up less often…but when I think of what I am thankful for, I remember forgiveness very clearly–both being able to receive it and offer it. I truly enjoyed reading your post and look forward to reading more! Blessings to you.
Thanks so much for the kind words and I too am thankful for grace.
I really like this! It definitely made me reflect on past situations in my life and to stop and think…..”Did I really forgive them? Or am I just avoiding them?” I’m not quit sure the answer just yet, but I think this post is very thought provoking and just what I needed. So, thanks!
Glad it meant something to you.
Hi, thanks for this blog. It is so true but also so difficult to forgive and thank people when you are so hurt by them and your hurt them too.
really good one.. Enjoyed your narration…
congrags for being freshly pressed
Forgiveness is definitely a challenge but so very worth the healing it can bring.
So true!
[...] Thanks. And a whole lot more.. Share this: Pin ItShare on TumblrDiggMoreEmailPrintLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. [...]
Congratulations! And it’s been quite a while since I’ve read something that screamed “Celena, you need to think about this!” And I will. Not easy when the harmed party is not only yourself,,however. Hmmm, I will ponder more….Wonderful post.
oh so timely.. i’ve just forgiven somebody close to my heart.. and it is really hard to forget but i made the first step which is to forgive.. yes, time to move on.. thank you, your post is very inspiring.
An old saying-”forget and forgive;easily said than done.Well it definitely serves as a remedy that bridges any bitter relationship,serves as an ointment to sad hearts but results for sure an environment of positivity.
You are right, we have to be thankful that we have the ability to forgive. Sometimes misunderstandings are so irritating that I’d like to tell my loved ones, “Move on! That’s crap.” Though I can’t. They also have a right to mourn and be sad
Yet, cheers for this!
[...] Thanks. And a whole lot more.. Share this:ShareFacebookTwitterLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. This entry was posted in Uncategorized by godwealthrevealed. Bookmark the permalink. [...]
It is hard to forgive, but the Bible says that when you forgive and ask for forgiveness, it frees you up from your sickness to any heartaches you’ve had in your life.
Very inspiring words of wisdom. It’s heart warming!
Its easy to forgive but hard to forget. Nice post. Congrats for being fp.
Thanx for this article….I come to it see just at the right time when I’m going through some rough patches with my relationship….. This article really helped me….
I am so thankful to see that WordPress Freshly Pressed this! Now THIS is newsworthy! Congratulations! Have you heard the song by Matthew West called Forgiveness? I’m sure you can find it on YouTube. It is incredible…and is based on a true story about a lady whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver. This lady and her family began to visit the man in prison and forgive him. Then they went before the court to get the man’s sentence cut in half. Forgiveness is hard, but once we begin to demonstrate forgiveness we do find healing.
Reblogged this on Calico Skies and commented:
Forgiveness is for you, trust is for them.
[...] word for the Season. A little early, still, but the season for being grateful has begun. Thanks to This mom’s got something to say for letting me share this fantastic post. It’s about being grateful, which I’m sure many [...]
Needed to read this today thank you.
Wonderful post, thanks for sharing! Congrats on being Freshly Pressed as well!
Congratulations making freshly pressed. When we forgive we heal our inner soul it is a wonderful gift from GOD.
Such a great post! Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting those times when someone treated you badly, therefore forgiving is a sign of being in terms with your past.
Awesome post, and so relevant for me and some of my friends right now! There is so much our there right now about forgiveness, it truly appears to be a universal message, and hopefully something we can all try to do, not just to forgive those who have wronged us, but also to forgive ourselves for any wrongdoing. Thank You for sharing.
I particularly like the comment on being grateful for the people in Your life, for the good and the bad. I really enjoyed reading Your post.
This definitely released some of the tension I’ve been keeping deep in my gut. Thank you for this post. =)
Glad it made a difference for you.
You my friend, rock. I’m so happy that you got FP’d – and that you make a difference every day in the lives around you. Now the WWW gets to enjoy you too!! <3
That is how I have always felt about holding grudges and on to the past. Seeing it written so beautifully like that will mean I can explain myself better to people because of you ……..thank you
x
Beautifully stated. You are right…forgiveness is not forgetting, just letting go.
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed. 
Reblogged this on food4lyfe and commented:
Never let yourself mutter the words “you never know what you have until it’s gone.” Always be grateful for the things, the people, and the experiences you have in this lifetime. If something is gone, you will know exactly what you had, because you have been thankful for every part of it!
To forgive is to end suffering. Greatly written!
This is so very true, and just what I needed to read today. Thank you so much for sharing! And congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
Life is too short to waste it over anger .. So leave for every moment and enjoy it, IF someone Something wrong then do forgive him/her ,,
This is very profound. Thanks for sharing and congratulations!
What a wonderful post! Thank you!
Reblogged this on motivationalworld.
Reblogged this on Saira Ali Khan and commented:
A motivational piece of writing
Truly being able to forgive is a good thing………….gud post