Beautiful - thank you. The Forgiveness Project also enables communities and enemies to come together and enter 'forgiving' dialogues that help and heal. And how wonderful when such forgiveness is seen on a global scale as well as intimately. The Queen of England meeting Martin McGuinness of the IRA this year springs to mind.

Thank you Chet, One key thing I have learned in life is to always remember that every-one has thier own cross to bear..and ought be forgiven for whatever injustice they have done.

Many Thanks Chet for this great reminder on forgiveness. "God has an app for that!" (From a local neighborhood church sign.) Yes. "There is never a debt that's too large for [infinite Love]." "Forgive, as ye would be forgiven;/ If heeded, O what power divine/ Would then transform our earth to heaven." (Christian Science Hymnal #163).

THANK YOU! just what i needed!

Thanks Jeff for this thought. We need to forgive to heal ourselves because love succed hate. This is I was needing to hear.

I came to a place, Chet, where more seemed to be going wrong than right, so I started to keep a Gratitude Journal, and bought a couple of books on Gratitude. One is quite small with quotes from Mary Baker Eddy. What a very blessed outcome. There have been healings in our family, and friends have been helped. Wasn't there a bumper sticker, Chet? Do amazing acts of kindness and random acts of love? I visited your Time4Thinkers website. It's really good, and so many people responding and willing to carry through their intentions,
Thank you Nate and the production team; the BoL and lecturers; and the Daily Lifters.

Thank you Chet, for passing along your insights and experience on radical forgiveness . The foundation of Heaven on Earth is built upon all of us practicing the principles of loving and unconditional forgiveness..

Thank you, Chet, for this and for all your Daily Lifts. My experience is that forgiveness is the lubricant which enables us to continue interacting with each other as we live our lives. With a computer and word processor, it becomes so easy to edit, cut, paste, and delete passages with which we are unsatisfied. We cannot do that with things we have said and done. Only forgiveness enables us to go forward from past regrets. I have heard of "radical acceptance" before, but never "radical forgiveness." I think I like this concept every bit as much.

Thank you very much - this is once again a great and healing lift!

Margaret Sunshine, where did you obtain your books on gratitude?

Perdonar sí, pero para ello tenemos que haber injuriado, infamado a alguien, entonces es porque no hemos amado, sí amamos no necesitamos perdonar porque el Amor no hiere no lastima, edifica y construye una barrera para que el odio y el rencor no tengan cabida no hay lugar para ningún otro sentimiento cuando el Amor llena todo nuestro ser, el único que tenemos, el ser espiritual y que al igual que Dios no conoce el mal, pero sí que transita por una razón desconocida, en estas arenas en conflito donde parece que el mal es el que gobierna, recordemos las palabras de Cristojesús, "Viene el principe de este mundo, y él nada tiene en mi" Juan Y nosotros tampoco.

Muchas gracias Jeff

Thanks for sharing greats ideas! With gratitude, Evelin

Just lovely, Chet. Thank you - I find your Lift very helpful.

Thank you.

Here's a link to the "Radical Acts" project I mentioned: http://time4thinkers.com/blog/the-radical-acts/

There's a great exchange of ideas and experiences happening around Jesus' radical acts - including forgiveness. I love what's already been shared here and hope you'll visit Radical Acts and post your insights and experiences with forgiveness there too!

Have listened and re-listened to this lift! The ideas shared are so very helpful, comforting, healing! Thank you, Chet, and the entire team for these very healing gifts.

Thanks, Chet. I have the poem "Self-forgiveness" by Ginny Luedeman pasted in the front of my Study Edition of the Quarterly. Unfortunately, I can't quote the entire poem here, but it appeared in the July 18, 2005 issue of the Sentinel and may be available online. It states in part:

I didn't mess up,
and forget God is here.

I didn't make choices
that made good disappear.

I live in the care
and the love of God's grace.

There's no way I can move
to a lesser loved place.

(and ends with)

I forgive all my yesterday's
visions, unclear.

And hear my God telline me
"Child you are dear."

Thank you for this important message. The idea of not forgiving others who we think have wronged us really just backfires on us and can retard healing greatly. Jesus was such a prime mover in this important concept. Thank you again.

Thank you, Chet. How comforting -- your voice, your thought, your spirit. And the idea that there is no debt in God's kingdom. I love this. How freeing.

Much gratitude to all who provide these wonderful daily messages that uplift and bless. My cup runneth over!

OK. I'm on it!!! Thanks.

This really addresses one of the hardest things that we all face at times. I'm reminded of the recent tv series about the Hatfields & McCoys - almost unbelievable discord that involved many families in 2 states. The toll was the loss of many lives many heartaches for decades. It took several generations of these families to reach a point of forgiveness. We can only imagine the depth of heartbreak and bitterness felt by those involved; but we all understand the peace that many are now feeling. Thanks for a lift that reminds that this is available to all of us on every level of our daily lives.

Beautiful and what a Blessing to hear today!

Thanks Chet !!
Forgiveness lifts a heavy weight off of our shoulders and has a wonderful feeling. Forgive and ye shall be forgiven.

Thank you Chet,

Margaret that was very beautiful. I have had to keep a similar journal and pull it out when things seemed rather dim. Sometimes when I think of the word "forgive" I think of "giving for....Love, Christ, peace, at-one-ment etc." This helps unlock why I ought to forgive.

Many years ago I found myself having to work closely with forgiveness. Some serious wrong was done to me and it was hard to demonstrate love towards this individual. I knew I had to. I focused on the Lord's Prayer and the thought of forgiveness and repentance walked with me every day.

I then understood that forgiveness can just be about me, at times that is. When I forgive, I can walk away from so much pain and hurt; turn and listen to God's direction. Forgiveness allows me to be less distracted with error and more focused on good. Forgiveness does not mean, however, that I must put myself in harms way; it means I can lovingly apply a solution to move forward.

Repentance, on the other hand, is what the other individual must do on their end to unlock the treasures of love and individuality.

When I photograph, my thought must be clear to see the wonderful opportunities before me. I often realize that forgiveness allows me to see God's path a lot clearer. Worrying whether someone has forgiven me is not an ideal way to spend time, once I have truly repented of my error.

Love, love alone is life. Forgiveness is a demonstration of love, Love and Life. Thanks!

Thank you so much, Chet. This reminds me of Bible statement, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." We can only forgive others when we forgive ourselves and realize our innocence as God's children, and then we can see the purity and innocence of our fellow man.

Thank you very much, Chet, for "Radical forgiveness...forgiveness is a golden thread in Jesus' teachings...fulfills the law of Love...actually practice forgiveness..." Actually practice forgiveness. Okay, then. :-)

Thanks, Chet, for addressing a seemingly difficult human issue on this Lift! I have been discovering that Forgiveness on a human level is almost virtually impossible. But when we are willing to lift up our consciousness to see ourselves as ideas united in one infinite whole - the whole human drama just collapses and falls flat. I just read a most enlightening article in the C.S. Journal, June, 1940, by Helen Wood Bauman called, "Principle is Divine Love." In Divine Science, everything looks different and we drop our shadows of human ego. I remember reading a quote by Mary Baker Eddy that goes something like this: "'There is no personality' is more important than 'There is no disease.'" We are truly here to drop our stories, our human drama, and come into our Real Spiritual Selves, as Jon Benson in his C.S. Lecture so beautifully illustrated. "How shall we reach our true selves? Through Love." Misc. p. 104 Oh, Mama, no more Drama! Lift Off and Drop Off and Be Free! Yahoooooo!!

Excellent , thank you ! :-)

Excellent, so excellent Chet. Thank you.. I really enjoyed what others comments were as well, such as the poem from Lori in California on the Sentinel artical of July 18 2005 .

Right on Chet! Foregiveness = “give over to God”.

When an employee embezzled our small company for what turned out to be over $70K, it was a dramatic experience when things came apart for her. In a small community and as a mother of three children, she was facing her acts along with a devastated and frightened husband.

Wouldn't most of us know that this was exposed for healing and not personal in any way? I hope so.

While I dug into study and prayer, our Father provided answers at every turn. Books would fall open to law, charity, forgiveness. The right words and actions came to me to support angry co-workers and to calm aggressive lawyers out for blood. Predictions of small company failure due to this sort of shenanigans were common. I was not buying any of this because I was just completely AMAZED at the gifts I was finding in prayer and study. It was as though our Father was saying… here… let me show you how specific I can be to your needs today! The morning’s sticky note was EXACTLY what met the need later that day!

A fraud accountant repaired our books and made reports suitable for tax audits. No customers were affected. The woman & I communicated (against lawyer advice) and she knew that her well being was important to me – that it was time to let something go that wasn’t really part of her. She was freed of suicidal thoughts and progressed. I am grateful that she has paid over half back to the company, but no one can tamper with God's supply, can they?

Excellent. Thank you chet. I also appreciated the comments of others and wrote down what Lori of California quoted from the Sentinel art. of July 18 2005.

Super thank you.

This is a keeper; this is a healer. Thank you, God.

There's a cool article in today's Christian Science Monitor Daily Briefing (go to csmonitor.com) about how a member of a community garden was restored. I think it fits today's theme of "Radical Forgiveness" because the garden club had settled on the "justified" course of action of kicking him out, but because of the humility and spiritual reasoning of one member, a different course of action was launched. The new solution involved important steps of restitution on the part of the lapsed member, but in the end his belonging was fully restored. The patience and mercy (but also honesty) on the part of the club opened the way for this mutually-beneficial outcome.

I think that one key to forgiveness is the humility to receive whatever a person is giving. Sometimes in families, we can feel very hurt because someone isn't treating us the way we "need" to be treated, and that hurt can lead to a sort of prideful rejection of what they ARE able to give. It takes a lot of meekness to accept and express gratitude for the good they're doing, and also to trust God for our real and permanent fulfillment.

Patience, mercy, and honesty: the Miracle Grow of relationships.

It's amazing how things come together when praying the way C/S teachers. Just the other day I wrote to a friend of mine, how I, way before C/S came into my life, forgave my fellow children for making fun of me because of the physical handicap that I had. I went through a lot of bullying in my day, but I always wanted to be friends with those that bullied me. I would call that "Radical Forgiveness." Even before I studied C/S, some how I had the understanding that two wrongs never make a right. Love is the answer, never, ever a desire to get even.

How very beautiful and helpful.
Thank you, Chet.

Thank you.

What a wonderful message! And so timely in view of all the missteps in the world today by people (including avowed evildoers) who need to be forgiven in the spirit of the Christ and separated from the evil impulses that have taken over their minds. I am reminded of the closing scenes of Andrei Konchalovsky's remarkable epic film SIBERIADE (Сибириада), in which previously warring families and factions come together in a spirit of unity and forgiveness. Thank you, Chet, for reinforcing this most potent theme of the Gospels.

I have been taught and accepted that resentments shut me off from the sunlight of Spirit, that I can while away hours reliving past injustices, both real and imagined ! Time that could have been spent worthwhile.I discovered resentments can vary in cause and degree but all were affecting my perspective my judgement and most importantly, my relationship with God.I have committed to a methodical process of tearing out resentments root and branch and guarding against new ones and even have to RE-FORGIVE repeatedly on some particularly stubborn ones.The main obstacle is self justification.Fighting the good fight so to speak.I heard someone say that ultimately they could do without anything but God. I have come to that conclusion myself and it certainly downsizes everything else.

Thanks Chet for this thought. Obrigada.

Thank you. I wrote out the list to give over. ;) Who needs any substanceless, mortal-mind-driven debt!? A sense of wronging another or being wronged is a false view. Jesus said of the blind man that neither he nor his parents had sinned, but that the works of God be made manifest. So, too, the wages of sin or conflict between parties. The true view of man and the situation is that it is an opportunity for the works of God to be made manifest.

The Lift brought to mind this tenet of Christian Science: "We acknowledge God’s forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts." What child of God can hold onto a belief of having harmed or been harmed by another? God's forgiveness of sin is already complete. He simply cannot know what He did not create or cause.

I was also reminded of a recent Lift on Capital Gains... those investments (our demonstrations and proofs) of Spirit, God's care for us, that are not subject to cycles, environment or external forces, that never lose value, only give and grow continuously. With such infinite largess, it makes surrender of false "debt" natural.

I cannot be fooled into thinking I have any other capacity or inheritance other than that which derives from God, good, and yes, Love is already reflected in this loving desire.

Thank you

What rich comments you have all shared! A few have touched on a point that I think is so important - basically, that human nature by itself just isn't capable of the deep spiritual love needed for true forgiveness. The good news is that our DIVINE nature is. I've found that only THROUGH Christ, our highest selfhood, can we bless our enemies, turn the other cheek, and return good for evil. The Christly forgiveness Jesus expressed on the cross rescued him from that experience. He said not only, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" but "Into Thy hands I commend my spirit..." He placed everything in the arms of divine Love! By dropping the world, he lost nothing and gained all. I've gotten glimpses of this at different times in my life but still have much to learn about the healing potential of Christ-inspired forgiveness.

Giving back to God and knowing that there is no debt too big for God is a wonderful thought. In doing so we need to let go of what feels like we are a victim or our need to outline what justice should look like from our perspective. In this weeks bible lesson we read in S&H.. "Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea." This reminded me to let go of those old personal views of my sense of justice served for my being wronged.... and in doing so I will be able to receive the advanced new idea that God sees as justice. What good God has for me here and now is clear but it will be hard to see if my view is clouded with pain and anger. Let go of it! Give it up and see the better more advanced good that is here right now!

Thank you Chet! Love is powerful and this lift is another proof that Love is the victor!

What a beautiful and powerful lift, Chet. Thank you. And also to the DL team for all the goodness flowing out and beautiful music.

Sincere gratitude Chet.
Have you heard of www.FambulTok.com a wonderful approach to forgiving the unforgivable as families talk together.
Hugs of peace.

@Lori (Comment #17) --

There's a Dear Me blog just posted on time4thinkers.com with this very poem!

http://time4thinkers.com/you-didnt-move-to-a-lesser-loved-place/

Forgiveness is such an important topic. Thank you for addressing it.

Thank you for expanding my understanding of forgivness.Your lift takes us to the top of the mountain where God,Love,does the work...forgiving and being forgiven.

Many years ago I found myself facing circumstances that seemed unforgivable. I was sinking into a depression that seemed literally like slipping down a bottomless hole of quicksand. Like a drowning man I reached for help. I had also been faithfully studying Christian Science, and in my feeling of slipping down, I also had the conviction that there was an invisible thread connecting me to God that could not be broken, and that this thread would save me. A young lady, a neighbour, who had become aware of the circumstances, mentioned the need for forgiveness. It seemed like a blithe remark at the time, and impossible since I was aware of the need to destroy sin - or an evil doer! At the same time I knew she was right. My work at destroying the belief in sin's reality began. I took human footsteps that seemed wise to remove myself from danger. My respect and admiration of those Christian Scientists I knew grew as I recognized their dedication to battling the belief in the reality of sin.
Thank you Chet for mentioning that golden thread that saved me, that it's strength comes from the quality called forgiveness. The word "mercy" is used in the Bible 299 times, "merciful" 36 times, "forgive" 48 times, "forgiveness" 8 times. It is used in the tenets of Christian Science:
"3. We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the
destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that
casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is pun‐
ished so long as the belief lasts."

When I heard Chet say, "And Love is reflected in love, there is no debt, ", I inserted, "And Life is reflected iin life, there is no death", both messages special to me this morning. Thank you, Chet.

A good concept to ponder and so needed in personal life and the world scene. Forgiveness is primary in Jesus' teaching.. I'm glad to be reminded of its cleansing results. Thank you.

helpful, timely, lovingly stated. Thanks.Thanks to everyone who has shared this morning.

Thank you so much Chet for this amazing uplifting message of "Forgiveness". Yessss, we have to put everything in Gods hands and trust God with the outcome...

Thanks Chet for this beautiful lift.No doubt, it is too difficult to forgive but whenever I tried to forgive anyone for the wrong he or she has done to me as well as forget the past, I got wonderful demonstrations at my workplace as well as in my family.Thanks again.

Thanks for mentioning the peacemaking work of Fambul Tok, Carol. TMC Youth hosted a live chat with co-founder, Libby Hoffman, several months ago. She shares some powerful stories of forgiveness in war-torn Sierra Leone. Here's the link: http://time4thinkers.com/t4t-events/making-peace-in-your-life-and-the-world

Thank you for the great thoughts about forgiving, and the reminder that it includes, forgiving ourselves!

Excelente y sanador Lift Chet !!! Muy agradecida por tu mensaje con este tema tan importante- el Perdón radical - para sentirnos libres y felices. El perdón es algo maravilloso y necesario para nuestro progreso espiritual . Lo logramos al elevar nuestra naturaleza a lo Divino y desde nuestra real Identidad ver sólo al hombre ( sentido genérico)- libre de todo error y culpa, inocente y puro como el Cristo - empezando por nosotros mismos.

Mrs. Eddy expresa bellamente en libro texto ref. al perdón : ' Y el Amor se refleja en amor ' ( cys p 17)
La oración de Jesús: ' Perdónanos nuestras deudas' especificó también las condiciones del perdón.
Cuando perdonó a la mujer adúltera, le dijo: ' Vete, y no peques más' . (cys p 11)

Mas adelante leemos : ' La destrucción del pecado es el método divino de perdonar.
La Vida Divina destruye la muerte, la Verdad destruye al error y el Amor destruye al odio.
Cuando el pecado es destruído no necesita otra forma de perdón ' . (cys p 339)

Agradezco tb tus inspirados anexos nºs 15 y 42.
Muy buenos los comentarios adjuntos enriqueciendo este Lift .

Un abrazo grande y Bendiciones del Amor a todos, Ma. Cristy

Thank you, Chet, for your words; they were so helpful that I have transcribed them for future reference.

Your Lift reminded me of something Mrs. Eddy wrote to Victoria Sargent after she shared with Mrs. Eddy an experience that had been hurtful to her: "Put away all selfishness out of your thought such as thinking you have been wronged or any sense of ingratitude or injustice from others. Bury it out of sight forever, and let love pour in where that has seemed to be. Forgive as you expect to be forgiven."

Thank you for this focus on forgiveness I love a thought Mary Baker Eddy shares in the book she authored, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p 11). Beyond just forgiveness she provides this insight on Jesus' acts. "Jesus' prayer, 'Forgive us our debts,' specified also the terms of forgiveness. When forgiving the adulterous woman he said, 'Go, and sin no more.'" What total freedom!

Great, Chet and thanks to everyone for their comments. "Forgive and ye shall be forgiven"! And my little added comment: "Just Let It Go!!" We have to then go forward with love, love, love.....as MBE said: "The heart and soul of Christian Science is Love!"

There is such a thing, made practical for humanity by divine Love, called forgiveness, because in reality, no one on the planet can hurt or affect us, nor alter our direction in life. To the spiritual senses, the physical law of for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction is false. Jesus proved this, as Chet said, Jesus not responding to being unjustly nailed to a cross, but forgiving them, was rewarded with resurrection, proving two things, for us: that the line of good that each of us represents as God's expressions is forever untouched and unaltered with every trial we face, through our fidelity to Him, and, as Jesus stated very clearly for us, "he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." and this is how we are able to forgive ourselves. And this is how we are able to forgive others. It's "built-in" by divine Love; it's natural, immediately available, it's the kingdom of heaven here on earth! It is worthy of the exercise of divine power to open this door of discovery to us so that we claim and demonstrate this by degrees.

Thank you Chet! Thank you Daily Lift! Thank you responder community!

Thank you for more inspiration, Chet!

Chet it was a great daily lift.To be able to forgive is wonderful.I can always forgive someone who has wronged me but I find it very difficult to pardon a person who has hurt a loved one.Does it seem strange?

Thanks Chet, Your message provided me with a wonderful inspiration for a calming, a seemingly impossible situation with a friend. I must interact with her on a daily basis. I realize the issues are temporary, but stressful at the moment for both of us. But for now, that person for no reason that I am aware of will not take a hint of sincere friendship from me which I offer daily, for reasons I am not aware. You need to believe me here. I pray for the both of us for PEACE, and I know she senses it, and becomes even more angry with my smiles and quiet ways. This is not a petty circumstance for me at the moment. Her husband even stalks my husband waiting for a confrontation. Serious. But it seems that any verbal interactions with her now-a-days turns into a hostile situation on her side. So, I want to ask you, and the wonderful people on this site, would ignoring her constant comments be an okay thing ? Meaning, not responding to insults without a kind word or any response to her? I do this day after day, trying to throw her a sincere complimet. I know this is a safe place for comments, not questions, but I need guidance. She calls me a goodie-goodie person, trying to be an angel, and really says bad things about me in public. Thanks, A Loving Person

Thanks Chet, That was Super Deluxe. I loved the way you added your comments.
Flo Wells 7/6/2012 Atlanta, Ga.

A simple "Thank you Chet" is my comment. Such a tender message.

Thank you Chet, DL team, B of L, and commenters. Troy from Barbados, #24, i was struck by your comment that forgiving doesn't mean putting yourself "in harm's way." I am in a relationship where my boyfriend has expressed a lot of anger and demonstrated a lack of compassion. I have been trying to forgive him but it's been very hard. I just wanted to get out of the relationship. Now i know to 'give the situation over to God,' as Chet said, which to me is a radical new way to me to think of forgiveness. God's angel thoughts will support me and show me how to--as you put it, Troy--"lovingly apply a solution to move forward" in a way that will ultimately bless both my boyfriend and me. I am very grateful for this Lift and all the comments.

Such great comments all! The world's a better place today because of all of you.

I wanted to share a few things from Radical Acts on forgiveness.

There's a very touching story by a young woman who was able to forgive her mother who she'd felt hadn't ever loved her. The forgiveness made way for joy in their relationship and freed them both, but that description doesn't do the podcast justice: http://time4thinkers.com/crying-for-joy/

We just posted this song by Alex Cook called Forgive: http://time4thinkers.com/alex-cook-forgive/

And an area you could all share (we'd love to have you!) in is our blog on Forgive 70X7: http://time4thinkers.com/7-forgive-70-x-7/

There are already some wonderful healing experiences described there. It's a rich sharing.

Ub grand merci pour ce magnifique exposé qui portera ses fruits et qui continue é faire le tour du monde
Amicaux messages - Jean-Pierre

Some comments on HOW to "let it go" would be helpful to many of us. It's so easy to say the words, but how do you actually do this so the resentful or hurt thoughts don't keep rerunning? Thanks Chet. I know this is so important to healing spiritually.

To #64: There is one of Jesus' sayings in the Bible that could be helpful in your situation: "Don't cast your pearls before swine." I feel it's important to remember that, yes, in the Absolute Reality, we are all God's dear and loving children. But, we also need to remember that until we have that perfect realization, we need to guard and protect ourselves from the those who are still allowing themselves to be controlled by the carnal mind. Jesus and Mrs. Eddy never allowed themselves to be abused by others, but took the necessary human footsteps to remove themselves from those situations, while continuing to pray. C.S. can also stand for "common sense". God never asks you to put yourself in harm's way or to put up with abuse by anyone. God wants us to love ourselves, to defend ourselves and to have good boundaries around those people who's motives are not coming from love.

@70 -- Great idea for a lift!

In the meantime, you can talk about HOW to forgive with others who are striving to do just that AND those who've had some good success forgiving here: http://time4thinkers.com/7-forgive-70-x-7/

A few thoughts on HOW-TO forgive. One big step is learning the lesson that evil is never person, though it sure seems to be! Evil suggestions try to knock at everyone's door of thought. When we're not watchful, we act on them and the same goes for others. When Jesus urged us to "Resist not evil" and to "turn the other cheek" when someone hits you, I believe that he was teaching us to turn AWAY from the strongly held world belief that evil has power OR that it can impress us as a person. Forgiving ourselves and others means seeing the innocence of God's child in everyone and not attaching the sin to person. When we rebuke sin, we're rebuking SIN, not the sinner. Mary Baker Eddy's "recipe" for Love is one part rebuke and three parts love - she writes, "...in Science, divine Love alone governs man and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness." When the weight of our thought is on the side of Love and we've learned to impersonalize sin, then we'll find our forgiveness more genuine and more effective.

Very powerful message... thank you!

Thank you again, Chet, also Bev, #71. Your comments help me a lot! Anonymous, #70, thanks for asking your "how to" question, and Amy, #72, i found much that was meaningful and helpful at the time4thinkers link.

Thank you Chet. Giving the root meaning to forgive helps me accept the ability to practice forgiveness for others in some difficult circumstances, yet forgiving self is often the most difficult of all. Whether for self, or needing to forgive others,giving things over to God doesn't force feelings I'm not sure I'm ready for, which sometimes can be an almost artificial attempt, even if sincerely desiring to be able to forgive, but lets me come to an agreement with myself, that I am handing it over to God for His wisdom, love, and capacity to bless everyone involved, and to end wrong. My dictionary didn't give that root meaning, but did say "To give up expecting requital". In most situations, I've not been expecting anything back from the offender, so I realize I've just held onto bad feelings - my own bad feelings. That seems sort of silly and purposeless. This is a Lift I will be working with to try to grow past unloving thoughts (mine or the offenders) and self justification. #30 "Anonymous", which indeed shows true forgiveness, thank you for precious testimony, and guidance for me to live up to. #35, Tobias, Good way to guard, using 2 wrongs never make a right. Thanks! Thanks Chet, #45 Carol, #46 Amy, (NY), & #68 Amy (R) for links. The Monitor link to article #34 In Progress mentioned is http://christianscience.com/prayer-and-health/inspiration/publications/the-christian-sciencemonitor/garden-prayers. So many to thank above!

To # 64 Trying & #70 Anonymous: Speaking not from leadership, but from what I'm getting from this Lift, Giving it over to God, lets us quit trying to decide what to do, or how to react if what we do isn't taken as well as we hoped. It is giving the whole situation over to God, and trusting, EXPECTING Him to handle every part of it for both the other person(s) involved, and our own thoughts and actions. He will lead us to do and say what is best. We aren't giving it over if we insist on knowing in advance what our part is. Look how He took care of Jesus after the crucifixion, and how his role is followed today, with Churches built in his name, yet where is a Church of Pontius Pilot? Science & Health on page 1. "Desire is prayer: and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds." You expressed this deep desire in your comments here. You have taken the first step, give the rest of the steps to our Father, who is also Father to anyone else involved, and expect good results, including healing for you and "them". When we turn to the Light, God, the shadows seen before will not be there to need answers to solve them. Hope you'll share the testimony later, for your desire already has healing rolling. I'm holding to that, with much love.

So glad Nurit! :)

Thank you for your insight!..I have been going through something at Church with some fellow members and I think that I have hurt feelings and thought's of being unfairly treated under control and then they raise their ugly heads!..Personal sense gets in the way!..Giving up control, giving to God,The Creator of us all!..Putting in in His hands..for him to handle!..That is it!..Seeing the True Man and not the false..separating the act from the child!..Thank you for reminding us not to take offense!

When repentance is radical (metanoia in Greek) it brings a change of heart, and it is certainly quite healing.
God sees this, He opens a new window that allows the perpetrator to begin again, as with a clean slate.
A good example is Paul, whose change of heart lead him to become a torch that illuminated the way for the Christ for 2000 years…and going. Acts 9:10 through 22
ESPAÑOL
Cuando el arrepentimiento radical (metanoia en griego) trae un cambio de corazón, por cierto es muy curativo.
Dios ve esto, nos abre una nueva ventana que permite al perpetrador volver a comenzar, como con una página limpia.
Un buen ejemplo es Pablo, que con su cambio de corazón llegó a convertirse en una antorcha que iluminó el camino del Cristo por 2000 años ... y lo sigue haciendo. Hechos 09:10 al 22

Bev, #71, It's always a pleasure reading your comments, today your words are very healing, it really touched me, thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

I loved reading a definition of forgiveness some years ago. Forgiveness is a gift to the wrongdoer. The bigger the wrong, the greater the gift. This has really helped me. Thanks so much, Chet, for all the ideas here.

To #70 -
"to let it go" is to change your standpoint; instead of looking at the mortal situation, realize what God is seeing and knowing about the situation; change your viewpoint to what God has already done for you. Expect good!
I used to talk to my Sun. School class about the difference between standing on the ground & looking up to a lighthouse vs. lifting your thought to look out from the light at the top. Look out from God's perspective
To forgive: one definition is to give it over. Can you give it over to God who is Divine Love - 100% Love? There's a saying, "Let go and let God." I once had an instantaneous healing when the person with me said simply, "Feel God's presence; just feel the presence of God." Try it! You'll like it!

Boy! I am so grateful to you Jeff - you are the reflection of divine Love meeting my need of the moment. I have the opportunity to meet this call for there is something very big that I have to forgive. Putting it all in God's hand and trusting Him is the right WAY.

Thanks to all for the comments here. A great lesson for me to see this forgiveness in action occurred when the Amish schoolchildren were killed a few years ago. The Amish community embraced the wife of the man who did this, and forgave both him and her. A spokeswoman for the Amish church, when interviewed on national news said, "When we don't forgive, we sincerely believe we run the risk of not being forgiven ourselves". I admired that stand, as most of the country was in shock, and crying out for vengence. Over the years since, I've tried to put 'vengence' in God's hands, as the Bible says, "Vengence is mine, saith the Lord", and work with the ideas of forgiveness, expressed so wonderfully in the comments from everyone here. Thanks so much!

This is such an important point in the healing process. Thank you Chet.

Thank you Chet! This is a wonderful topic and one that needs to be applied moment by moment sometimes! I am finally beginning to realize that we can forgive ourselves and others because as Chet so perfectly stated "Evil is never the person!". We have to go back to who we are really-the sinless, spiritual, perfect, loved, and loving, child of God. And so is everyone else! The idea that a child of God could hurt another child of God is the lie. The lie about ourselves and others is all that needs to be turned against and we have to mentally defend the purity and goodness of everyone's true nature. It is sooo sneaky the way that illusion of evil wants to stir up trouble in our famlies and churches and friendships with those that we love dearly! Its like dangling bait, a temptation, to hate. Love dispels it and wakes us up! When I finally got this, I started seeing wonderful examples of hurt, resentment and injustices forgiven and replaced with genuine love and forgiveness. I am striving to practice this more every day.

There are accounts of forgiveness healing cancer.
When you realize there is noone to blame, forgiveness is natural.