We have talked about the importance of forgiveness, but this time, we want to focus on the importance of forgiving yourself. You made mistakes, you caused damage. You have caused a death somehow, somewhere, by something you did, or something you did not do. No one passes through this world unscathed, completely innocent. It cannot happen.
From the germs you kill with your antibacterial soap, to the ants you step on and never notice, to the bugs that splatter your windshield, the weeds you kill in your lawn, the dog who runs out into the street because the gate didn't latch. You do your best, or you don't. Either way, bad things will happen on your watch, and you are responsible.
We don't have to understand why to accept that it's okay for us to blunder and stumble and fall. If our intent was good, if our motives were pure, we need to forgive ourselves.
If we acted out of greed, or anger, or some other lesser motive...the same thing is true. You were seeing and thinking through a distorted lens. You were not perceiving reality correctly. You acted, based on incorrect understanding and assumptions. If you knew more, or knew differently, you would have made different choices and the outcome might have been better. Might. There is no certainty about that. You can only hazard a guess.
In every case, you did whatever you could, as you could. Know that this is true, accept your fallibility, forgive yourself one more time. Then move on to asking forgiveness of all whom you have injured, knowingly or unknowingly. You'll never know who they all are. You don't have to.
All are innocent. All are guilty. And that is how it is.
Let it Be.
We love and bless you in your perfect imperfection.
Namaste.
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Image: Keattikorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Thanks, you always say what I need to hear!
ReplyDeleteKathy, I needed to hear it, too. There are some things I would love to undo if I could. I guess the thing to do is put it all in God's hands and learn to let it be.
ReplyDeleteWell said indeed. It's so important to forgive ourselves for the multitude of mistakes over the years, I certainly have committed my share of blunders that caused pain to others and myself. I feel that I'm harder on myself than others and forgiveness is often hard to give. Forgiving!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI think that's why Jesus talked about forgiving "7 times 70", it's so hard to do and make it stick, whether it's forgiving ourselves or the people who hurt us in the past. I'm still working to forgive my second grade teacher, and that was almost 50 years ago.
ReplyDeleteDear God, help me forgive my unforgiveness. Maybe we can get a post on how to forgive.