Monday, Oct. 23, 2023
Today’s Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:
Forgiveness ought to be like a canceled note, torn in two and burned up, so that it can never be shown against the man.
— Henry Ward Beecher
When we have been hurt or offended, we naturally have strong feelings about it. Sometimes we want to leap to forgiveness as a cover for our wounds because we fear the damage to the relationship. In that case, forgiveness comes too soon, before we even let ourselves know what we feel. More often, our ego has been bruised and, primitively, it wants revenge. But it is we who carry those angry feelings and nurse our negative inner world. And it is we who must find a way to live in a more positive state of mind.
Some of our angers and resentments may be decades old. No repayment can ever settle the account. Maybe we didn’t get what we needed from our parents, or a former spouse treated us badly, or a co-worker or boss was unnecessarily harsh. We can lighten our burden by simply tearing up the unpaid debt. In a spiritual sense, we can leave the other guy’s conscience to him and his maker. By declaring old debts forgiven, we are free to live in the present as happier, better men.
Today, I will strive to let go of old resentments so I can live more fully in the present.
Hazelden Foundation
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