From my exp. it was mandatory.

Whats you experience?

That's where the healing began for me.

It is the human condition to be fallible and we simply cannot expect to be forgiven for our own mistakes if we do not find forgiveness in our hearts for others.

Absolutely Gaiily

Thank you Gim, I didn't know this..I sure do want to heal...very desperate for healing..I want to forgive and be forgiven..it's so damn hard sometimes..

Marianne, I'm not expert, far from it. But, I think you start by forgiving yourself. Not sure how you go about that. Hopefully others can shed some insight. hugs

Foregiveness..When they have clear passage through your mind..(and that includes ourselves).

Irony..I just posted the following elsewhere..

You shall not take vengeance,
nor bear any grudge against the children of your
people, but you shall love your neighbor as
yourself: I am the Lord. ( Leviticus 19:18 )

I coppied this Les..thanks for putting it up here..Needed to see that for my own sanity...

For me it has not been just about a definitive and immediate forgiveness but also about being willing to move towards a point where forgiveness is possible.

Some things happened in my life where it has been hard for me to get my head round what i was forgiving someone for before I even got to the point of being able to forgive.

Some things were easier and some have needed a lot of therapy and talking to unravel. However even at times when I could not yet forgive I have always been moving towards it.

i agree forgiveness is part of the healing process and recovery. i have forgiven plenty and try to forgive myself for my wrongs ..however i cant forgive everything that hss happened in my life ..so hope the forgiveness i have given is enough?

Thank you everybody..Yeah I can't forgive everything either..I sure wish to God that I could but at this point somethings going on in my life just don't seem forgiveable..perhaps in time it will..

Marianne...Just give it to God..He is the only one Whos judgement counts for anything..Peace, Sis

Di, I sure can relate to what ya said. Defiantly on the same page.

It was a necessity for my healing and peace GJM. It took time to forgive, others and myself. But when I opened my heart I began to heal. This is a little prayer I love...

God, I can never get over the wonder of your forgiveness to me. Help me to pass on that forgiveness to those who hurt me. You forgive graciously, not grudgingly. Help me to do the same.

And pass it on to myself.

Coogee -- I like that prayer. Thanks for sharing it.