Forgiveness

Experiences in life often shape our personalities. I have learned not to judge people too harshly because they are what they are because of life circumstances. However I believe it is also possible and sometimes necessary to change what shapes us. Especially when it affects those around us. Too often we use the excuse that is just the way I am. Or I was born that way.
Yesterday I was somewhat angered to hear of an acquaintance of mine putting down women because he's been through a divorce. It was affecting someone close to me that I'd rather not have a poor opinion of women. After all I am a woman! I too was scarred by a divorce. I too could of thought all men were scum. So... Divorce scars...Not just the divorcees but the children. Jess asked about the statistics of divorce. Yah, they suck, 50-50. I believe from experience that our children need us to do all that we can to make our marriage work. I wish Jess and Kev had never experienced divorce!! I hope they won't be afraid of marriage but will work with a fever to protect their marriages when they have one. Especially giving their children the gift of both parents united, not divided! I still believe in happy endings. I thank God and give Him total credit for happy ever afters. I think that marriages need that extra help that God gives us. After all without God where is the forgiveness? I think people fail to forgive when they don't feel they have ever really done anything to be forgiven for. How often we think, I would never do that! A friend gives me credit for not holding grudges. Truth is I do hold hard feelings. I have a hard time when someone does me wrong and doesn't recognize it or doesn't ask for forgiveness. But life has taught me that I can screw up and screw up bad. I need others' forgiveness so I need to forgive others. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, then your Father will forgive you your trespasses. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14 &15 KJV
"And why to you look at the speck in your brother's eye and do not consider the plank in your own eye." Matthew 7:3 NKJV If we recognize our own idiosyncracies maybe it'll be easier to understand others. How about the person that cut us deeply? Haven't we all been there? A friend of mine was recently hurt by her family members. Been there, done that? I know a few, who have. I've also seen people carry it to the grave. How much of it is misunderstanding? I want to be forgiven. I will try to forgive. That doesn't mean that some people just push our buttons with their arrogance....Sometimes these people just make life unpleasant and if they aren't gonna change I don't want to spend much time with them. It's not my job to correct them, but forgive them. After all I do have a lot to work on, myself.