SEC17 WK:#1: Forgiveness unites family

to forgive is devine and to err is human

Even if anyone should have a course for complaints against the other, you must forgive freely from the heart

We all need forgiveness, if not today, then in the nearest future

Man made of human is imperfect and prone to mistakes

If you don't forgive men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly father forgive you your trespasses

How many times should I forgive my brother? 77 times 7

If there is no mistakes, then there will be no forgiveness

The above statements or quotes depicts the need for forgiveness. The truth is that, we all need that word because we offend others daily. Through what we say and do, we advertently or inadvertently offend others and others do same. Hence, the word forgiveness

This is even more needed in the family where we interact together day in day out. Sometimes, even when nothing wrong has been done to us, we experience mood swings which could make us to talk or behave in a way that could offend our family members.

But what then is forgiveness and what effect does it have on our wellbeing?

Put simply, it is the quality that helps one to let go of the wrong done to him or her. This quality is a very beautiful one and it has connections with our general wellbeing. For instance, if we do not forgive others, it becomes a burden to us such that we can't move freely. It could even happen that whenever we see the one that we have refused to forgive, the whole senecio that occurred which brought about the unforgiveness will play out again in our memory and the wound will reopen as it were. It could even happen that the one we are angry at may not even be aware of what is going on in our minds. We suffer alone in this instance and this will not be good to our health.

How about blocking the approach to the almighty? Yes, being unforgiving can hinder our approach to our God who can only listen to us if we have made peace with our dear friends and family. Since we dearly needs forgiveness, it is only wise that we forgive others their mistakes.

Why it matters

The holy scriptures said that we should not judge so that we will not be judged. This means that when we condemn someone in our mind and cross our hearts never to forgive, we have become the chief judge and to us, that person deserves to die. Whereas judging has not been handed over to us. We are imperfect and as such, we will not give a perfect judgement. Our imperfect nature tends to be selfish. We are only going to judge from one perspective. Whereas the Almighty weighs matters perfectly and judges righteously. Forgiving means that we trust his judgement and that however he wants the matter to end, that you are ok with it.

Our own part is just to forgive and we have been asked to do so. Hence, it will be beauty on our part to pass over transgressions.

I have been shown mercy and I also shown mercy to others

There was a time my brother entrusted his funds with me and I managed his funds judiciously and that made him very happy. I even helped him to buy a parcel of land and started building on it. He gave me the funds for the building.

But I used part of the money to invest in a get rich quick online business because I felt that I will make even half of the amount as return from that business. Little did I know that that business was about to collapse. I lost that money and that didn't go well with my brother and I. I felt so bad and my brother felt mad at me. In fact, that relationship was ruined as a result of that business. I almost gave up because I never envisioned that to happen. He love me so much and I love him too. I couldn't even forgive myself and as such, I wasn't expecting forgiveness from him. It went bad to the extent that he even thought I ate the money and refused to tell him that. But it was a Ponzi scheme known as MMM. Most people knew about it and they were the ones that were trying to help him understand that a lot of people lost their money in that scheme.

We parted ways for more than 2 years. I tried my best to plead for mercy. And I also prayed to the Almighty to set matters straight because he knew and understood that I used the money for the scheme.

One day, my brother called me on phone to tell me that he wants to let go of all that had happened in the past. That he no longer hold it against me. Wow! What a relief! I was so happy and felt very free with him and the family and we started getting along once again till now.

I wowed to myself that I will never join anything Ponzi in my life. Little wonder I was even scared when I was introduced to steemit. But because I wasn't going to join with any money, I decided to give steemit a trial. And till today, I will never join anything Ponzi and that is why I have been consistent and determined to always succeed even here on the blog. Nothing that will happen toe here can be compared to that feelings of hurting someone you dearly loved. Hence, I was shown mercy and I was forgiven.

In fact, apart from the forgiveness from Almighty, that is the second most important forgiveness I have received in my life.

	my brother and I after he forgave me
	my brother's wife and son. We are happy together

In deed, forgiveness unites family!

I also try as much as possible to forgive others even when I haven't done anything wrong, I am always the first to apologise just for the sake of getting along together again. But do you know that some persons take it that I am weak? That I must have been the one in the wrong before asking for forgiveness? It pains me a lot when my apology is misunderstood and misplaced. But I still have to let go.

I have had a lot of encounters that, if I should write about them all, I would be writing more than a million words in this post. I am often betrayed even when I am sincerely trying to help. I am often misunderstood even when I am the one that was wronged. I am often hated even when I am innocent. But who am I not to let go. I am not the Ultimate judge but the Almighty is. I am the one that wants to be free and worship the Almighty with a free mind. I want to be heard when I pray to him and I want nothing to hinder me from inheriting the everlasting life that he has promised. I want to enjoy my daily life doing God's weill. Hence, I think I need to forgive the more. If you also need same, then you must learn to let go.

Our service to God will be in vain if we don't let go of our grievances. In fact, we will not think that we are even serving God because even he himself said that if we can not love our brothers whom we can see, we can not claim to love him because we can't see him as a spirit.

The bottom line

Live and let's live

Only true forgiveness can bring the above to pass. We must forgive. It is not an option but a must. It is a fact that forgiveness can give us a better life bit now and forever. Love is at the root of true forgiveness. Let's love because it is from above.

Will you forgive? Will I? We can do it. Let's do it. Let's go and let go of our grievances.

I will like @mesola @heriadi @drhira @yenny47 @kouba01 @sahmie @patjewell to take part. here