How do I forgive?

[Holly3278]

Hey everyone. I have been putting papers at the front of our building for people to read. They refute anti-Catholic and false doctrines commonly propagated by Protestant Evangelicals and Fundamentalists. Well, I placed 10 papers refuting the rapture out front yesterday and today they were all ripped up. I don’t know how to forgive whoever did this. I want to forgive but I am having a hard time doing it. Please help.

 

[Gods_Holy_Will]

Here is how I see it. Forgiveness is an act of the will, not necessarily accompanied by feelings of forgiveness. You can make an act of forgiveness immediately. Feelings of forgiveness may come later. I hope that helps!

 

[cecilia97]

Here is how I see it. Forgiveness is an act of the will, not necessarily accompanied by feelings of forgiveness. You can make an act of forgiveness immediately. Feelings of forgiveness may come later. I hope that helps!

I absolutely agree! You don’t have to feel forgiving, you just have to try to do it. Ask God to help you, as true forgiveness really only comes from Him. You can even pray “Lord, I don’t feel like forgiving this person but I know You want me to, please help me.”

Another great way to build kinder feelings toward a person who has wronged you is to pray for them. Pray that they receive every possible grace and good thing from God. Ask God to bless them richly.

And remember that forgiveness can be an ongoing, daily thing. There are people I have to keep deciding to forgive - over and over. 70 times 7 times, you might say!

p.s…I want to add this positive spin on what happened: Whoever tore up your message stopped to READ it and was threatened enough by it to want to stop others from reading it, too. You may have planted a valuable seed!

 

[Holly3278]

Here is how I see it. Forgiveness is an act of the will, not necessarily accompanied by feelings of forgiveness. You can make an act of forgiveness immediately. Feelings of forgiveness may come later. I hope that helps!

Thanks. I definitely have the will to forgive them and I feel like I did forgive whoever did it. I don’t know who did it but I do forgive whoever it was.

I absolutely agree! You don’t have to feel forgiving, you just have to try to do it. Ask God to help you, as true forgiveness really only comes from Him. You can even pray “Lord, I don’t feel like forgiving this person but I know You want me to, please help me.”

Another great way to build kinder feelings toward a person who has wronged you is to pray for them. Pray that they receive every possible grace and good thing from God. Ask God to bless them richly.

And remember that forgiveness can be an ongoing, daily thing. There are people I have to keep deciding to forgive - over and over. 70 times 7 times, you might say!

p.s…I want to add this positive spin on what happened: Whoever tore up your message stopped to READ it and was threatened enough by it to want to stop others from reading it, too. You may have planted a valuable seed!

Actually, I seriously doubt that they read it. They probably just seen the title which was “The Rapture” and then ripped them all up. I forgive whoever it was but it still makes me really angry that they did what they did. I didn’t choose to use all of that printer ink just so my papers could be ripped up. I put them out there as a way to evangelize and yet I probably failed miserably since they were all ripped up. All 10 those papers were ripped up. I am almost willing to just give up on putting papers out there for people to read if they are just going to rip them up.

 

[BornAgain2010]

Thanks. I definitely have the will to forgive them and I feel like I did forgive whoever did it. I don’t know who did it but I do forgive whoever it was.

Actually, I seriously doubt that they read it. They probably just seen the title which was “The Rapture” and then ripped them all up. I forgive whoever it was but it still makes me really angry that they did what they did. I didn’t choose to use all of that printer ink just so my papers could be ripped up. I put them out there as a way to evangelize and yet I probably failed miserably since they were all ripped up. All 10 those papers were ripped up. ** I am almost willing to just give up on putting papers out there for people to read if they are just going to rip them up**.

Be not afraid. Endure. Live your faith by example. Live the Gospels. The Apostles went out and preached openly, fervorously, in the streets through which they walked. They were not swayed in the face of overwhelming odds. They were persecuted against mercilessly, yet they did not ‘give up’, quite the opposite in fact. The Holy Mother Church is built upon the blood of her martyrs.

I say again, endure. The more people that rip up your papers, print that many more copies. Eventually, they will be so tired of ripping it up, they will concern themselves with something else. I dont know many who would take time out of their day to go and rip up 2 or 3 stacks of papers.

Its alot like bullying. If you let them bother you, they will. If you remain calm and peaceful, the bullies will eventual lose sport and go bully someone else.

Sorry if my response is overexaggerated or melodramatic. I was an observer at a Knights of Columbus induction ceremony earlier today and Im still “on fire” from earlier, so forgive me if Im overly excited.

 

[mariafransisca3]

Sometimes protestants are horrible, not all though, just the fanatic…

Some are kind.

You have to shun these errors they are spreading, do not attack them openly or you will be attacked. Be prudent. Pray, ask what is God’s holy will, for you to correct the error, or to leave? What is God’s will?

If you are attacked it can be harmful to your soul.

To forgive, you can say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. I offer this sacrifice to you, for love of you and conversion of sinners, conversion of them, and their victims. " Proceed with hail marys, as many as you like, until you find peace in your heart.

 

[fred_conty]

Hi,
It would be interesting to ask how many Catholics have thrown away JW’s or Morman leaflets left at their home. Same difference.

About anger, which is what your expierencing, it takes about 3 days for it to calm down.
My suggestion is to distract youself with anything during the next 3 days. Then after then you will be able to do what you need to do. Anger blocks reason. When it subsides, then we can think again. Go easy on youself and give yourself some time.

One more point, Got does not look at our success, He looks at our effort. By your suffering this you may well be more effective than by those papers you wrote. Offer those broken papers to Him as the Father offered his broken Son for you.

 

[lauralh4]

Forgiving is one of the toughest things to do. A little while ago I found myself in a position where I had to choose between making an effort to forgive or to keep on holding a grudge and just a whole lot of anger and resentment towards this certain person. Then I came accross the Parable of the Prodigal Son and I started thinking “if this person was the prodigal son, then am I acting like the brother, or am I acting like the father?” As soon as that question was answered in my mind, I asked myself “which of the two attitudes leads me closer to God?” The realization that question led me to, gave me the strength I needed to approach this person, talk to him, and forgive him. In your case it would be tough to approach whoever did this mostly because you don’t even know who it was…but I still feel this parable could help you. Try to find motivation and inspiration in the father’s attitude, see God in him, and try to find strength in that amazing display of love and mercy, in that disposition to forgive. Granted, whoever did this probably haven’t and will not repent for what they did but, regardless, I believe that trying, making a real effort to forgive them, will slowly help you to find peace in your heart.

 

[Mojoforyeshua]

Any chance I could get a look at that paper?

Also, Jesus said “they hated me, they will hate you” (Stute’s Paraphrase) It’s just ignorance really and people now-a-days believe what they want to believe because they want to believe it and not because they are convinced by argument and are really uncomfortable when it is challenged. Pray for them and that they can find God in their situations.

 

[music2]

I dont’ know the answer regarding the forgiveness part,but regarding the leaflets part,maybe write a book

That rapture stuff is potential extremely dangerous to vulnerable,unsuspecting minds and some(very visible in mainstream media) books that refute it and can get people out of fear are long overdue.
Some people just read the word “Christian” and therefor assume this is truth and it can really mess up peoples minds and cause fear.

 

[Shin]

‘There but for the grace of God, go I. . .’

That is what helps me to forgive.

All truly good things run into opposition and resistance. So on should in a certain way, be happy when one encounters it, because it is a sign one is working for the good.

 

[ready]

How to forgive: pray to Jesus to do good things in this life and in the next for the person who tore your papers. This is the best way to forgive.