When people don't forgive, they probably shorten their lives. --Doris Donnelly
Sometimes forgiveness seems impossible and we feel stuck in the quicksand of our own resentment. When everything else fails, we can try the "First Five People Forgiveness Plan." Each morning we make a decision to forgive the first five people we come in contact with who make us mad. We forgive all five people without analyzing or deciding if they deserve to be forgiven. We promptly forgive each one of them without exception.
This simple plan can work wonders for those of us who usually hold on to resentments and anger. Letting go of anger and resentment lets us feel our loving side. In learning to forgive others we can begin learning about how to forgive ourselves, too.
Today let me also remember that I, too, deserve forgiveness.
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
As I discuss forgiveness with my sponsorees, we always begin by talking about the fact that resentment causes emotional pain which leads to relapse. At some point in the conversation, they'll usually tell me they have a few people who don't deserve forgiveness. But, forgiveness soon becomes a better option for them when they realize that they deserve happy sobriety.
Great post, Pappy....
I have had a problem staying "mad" at people even when someone did something to me and I felt I played no part in it other than just breathing. I have always been a people pleaser in so many ways sometimes sacrificing my own needs to do so.
I had a wake up call doing my Step 4 and realized I had alot more anger in me than I realized.
I like your post because I realized that even though I think I let go of things, I am human and do hang onto things. Forgiving someone else is necessary to move forward as is forgiveness of self. I think I have been madder at myself than anyone else. I asked my sponsor if I could have resentments towards myself. I was told yes and I just wrote all of them I could think of down. It took up a big part of my resentments list.
Yep, ... there were 'resentments that I held onto 'kick'n and scream'n' all the way... my sponsor helped me a great deal to get past them ... I finally realized that to hold onto a resentment was like holding onto to a 'red hot piece of coal' to through back at the other guy ..... I was the one getting burned ... so what the heck, I let go, turned things over, and forgave the other guy regardless if I felt he deserved it or not ... ahhhhh, ... piece of mind at last ... ... ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
