L
lakotak
Guest
I would like to share this story with you, perhaps, it might be able to help someone who is having a struggle to forgive someone.
I arrived home from shopping this past Saturday, and I pulled my car up to a parking space on my street and prepared to park. Just before I put the car in gear, the neighbor across the street pulled in to the space that I was preparing to park in. She had to know that I was preparing to park. Well, I flashed angry, real angry at her total rudeness . I think I am better prepared to feel less anger at a person who has a gun and plans to rob me than a person who shows rudeness in such a bold way.
This happened not long before I was to go to the 4PM Mass. I was too angry to go to confession because I could not forgive her, and I told God I sure was not going to go near the Eucharist. I thought about going to Mass on Sunday, but I wanted to get my roommate to Mass, as she is just starting to go to Church again. I decided to go to Mass anyway. Well, I arrived at Church still really angry , not a good way to go to Mass. Well, lo and behold, Father’s sermon was on forgiveness, pointing out the “prodigal son.” He gave a wonderful sermon and made so many points. My anger started to die. By an effort of my will, certainly, not by my feelings, I ask Jesus to help me to forgive this person. However, I still resolved not to receive the Eucharist. As time passed, I was aware of the conviction of the Holy Spirit for not going to Communion. The conviction kept growing, that I needed to receive Communion. I decided that I would say an Act of Contrition and go to Communion. I was slowing being able to forgive this person. Well, by the time I received Communion and returned to my seat, all the anger was completely gone, wiped away, not just diminished. I was filled with happiness, joy and tears actually filled my eyes. I was totally overcome. When I left the Church, it was as though I had never been angry and this incident had never happened.
I can’t express how strongly I felt God’s power to help me deal with this forgiveness. It was overwhelming , and I can still feel this experience as I am typing this. I learned a big lesson out of this.I learned the power of God to come into my life, his power to wipe away the negative that impedes me , and the difference in doing acts out of feelings and what it means to act out of my will. I learned that our will must override our feelings in these negative situations and when you allow your will to reach out to God; He will help you.
I arrived home from shopping this past Saturday, and I pulled my car up to a parking space on my street and prepared to park. Just before I put the car in gear, the neighbor across the street pulled in to the space that I was preparing to park in. She had to know that I was preparing to park. Well, I flashed angry, real angry at her total rudeness . I think I am better prepared to feel less anger at a person who has a gun and plans to rob me than a person who shows rudeness in such a bold way.
This happened not long before I was to go to the 4PM Mass. I was too angry to go to confession because I could not forgive her, and I told God I sure was not going to go near the Eucharist. I thought about going to Mass on Sunday, but I wanted to get my roommate to Mass, as she is just starting to go to Church again. I decided to go to Mass anyway. Well, I arrived at Church still really angry , not a good way to go to Mass. Well, lo and behold, Father’s sermon was on forgiveness, pointing out the “prodigal son.” He gave a wonderful sermon and made so many points. My anger started to die. By an effort of my will, certainly, not by my feelings, I ask Jesus to help me to forgive this person. However, I still resolved not to receive the Eucharist. As time passed, I was aware of the conviction of the Holy Spirit for not going to Communion. The conviction kept growing, that I needed to receive Communion. I decided that I would say an Act of Contrition and go to Communion. I was slowing being able to forgive this person. Well, by the time I received Communion and returned to my seat, all the anger was completely gone, wiped away, not just diminished. I was filled with happiness, joy and tears actually filled my eyes. I was totally overcome. When I left the Church, it was as though I had never been angry and this incident had never happened.
I can’t express how strongly I felt God’s power to help me deal with this forgiveness. It was overwhelming , and I can still feel this experience as I am typing this. I learned a big lesson out of this.I learned the power of God to come into my life, his power to wipe away the negative that impedes me , and the difference in doing acts out of feelings and what it means to act out of my will. I learned that our will must override our feelings in these negative situations and when you allow your will to reach out to God; He will help you.
