Unforgiveness can prevent us from living full joyful lives. Some people say that harbouring unforgiveness is like taking poison and hoping the other person will die.
The Mayo Clinic lists the following as the benefits of forgiving others:
Less anxiety, stress and hostility.
Fewer symptoms of depression.
Lower blood pressure.
A stronger immune system.
Improved heart health.
Improved self-esteem.
This post has a forgiveness meditation I have found helpful as well as stories of people who managed, with Our Creator's help to forgive very difficult things.
Scripture:
Jesus said, "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:24
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3 Amazing Forgiveness Stories
Have you struggled with forgiving others? Most of us have great difficulties forgiving people. I know I have struggled with forgiving people many times, but when I have asked Our Creator for help forgiving, it has come through in amazing ways.
One thing I find useful in forgiving people is remembering we do not fight people, but powers and principalities. It helps me feel compassion for the person. Over time I have come to see that when people are unkind, they are simply not in their right mind. When we equip ourselves with the armour of G-d He can enable us to win the war against unforgiveness that can destroy our souls. As Christ said - "With G-d all things are possible."
Here are three incredible stories of people who have managed to forgive those who committed atrocious crimes against them. Do you know other true amazing forgiveness stories? Please pop a note in the comments below and let everyone know.
How Corrie Ten Boom Forgave A Nazi Tormenter
Adapted from various interviews with Corrie Ten Boom Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie were arrested by the Nazis for hiding Jews in their home during WWII. In 1947, when one of the cruellest guards asked her for forgiveness, she could not do it on her own. A horrible scene replayed in her mind when she was forced to walk naked in a line behind her starving sister past that Nazi. How could she forgive the atrocities he had committed against so many women? She could not. The man said he had become a Christian and knew that God forgave him for his many sins and that he had prayed that one day he might have the opportunity to ask one of his victims for forgiveness. As he stood there with his hand outstretched, asking for forgiveness a multitude of thoughts went through Corrie's mind.
Corrie then thought about how Our Saviour taught in the Lord's Prayer that for us to be forgiven we must forgive others. She thought about how when other Concentration Camp survivors she knew forgave they were able to live their lives again- and those who could not forgive were struggling to survive. She asked Our Father to help her forgive this man. Then a scripture came into her mind - Roman's 5:5. She thanked G-d that His love was stronger than her hate for this man.
Finally, she was able to lift her hand and put it in his saying ,"Brother, I forgive you." As she did so , a strange feeling coursed down her arm and into his hand. She could feel the love of Our Creator flowing through her. Here is a very moving video of the story of How Our Creator Helped Corrie Ten Boom Forgive Her Nazi Tormenter.
How Victor Marx Forgave the Stepfather Who Sexually Abused and Tortured Him
Adapted from interviews
Many people might know Victor Marx as the award-winning man with the fastest unarmed gun disarming ability, but few ask what compelled him to develop this ability. This former marine and award-winning black belt martial artist - who takes teams into some of the most dangerous parts of the world on mission trips to help women and children, miraculously survived a childhood of horrific torture and abuse at the hands of his stepfather.
Abandoned by his birth father at age three - Victor's mother remarried. This man abused them in insanely horrible ways.
Victor's stepfather sexually abused him, tied him down and electrocuted him, held a gun to his head, and dunked him in water till he passed out. It is truly a miracle that he survived.
One night, his stepfather grabbed a gun and drunkenly threatened to kill Victor and his mother. As his mother desperately repeatedly whispered "The blood of Christ covers the door!"- something absolutely miraculous happened! No matter how hard his stepfather tried-he could not get through the open doorway! Finally, he stumbled away and passed out. Victor and his mother escaped through a window.
In Grade 6, Victor started using drugs to numb the pain. Then at 15 he was molested and left to die in a commercial cooler, but Our Creator had greater plans for him.
Eventually, Victor joined the Marines for friendship and camaraderie. He used martial arts as a way to keep his anger under control and did all the things society said would make him a man.
However, it was not enough. Victor started thinking that maybe he needed to work on the spiritual side of his life.
One day, Victor was surprised to receive a letter from his biological father asking him to come for a visit. He said he was now a Christian. His father invited him to go to church. Victor says there was something about the praise and worship that made him feel like a real man. He got reborn. Right after that, someone handed him a book by Dietrich Bonhoeffer that made a huge impact on him- "The Cost of Discipleship."
It was then put in Victor's heart to seek out the stepfather who had been so cruel to him and extend forgiveness to him. He found the man lying in bed extremely ill. When Victor took this weak old man to the hospital, they discovered that he had terminal cancer and only a few days to live.
How did Victor forgive this man and lead him to give his life to Christ before he died? Watch this incredible interview from the 700 Club and find out more.
How Helen Roseveare Forgave Her Rapists
Dr. Helen Roseveare worked tirelessly helping the people of the Congo raising money to build hospitals, helping sick people and training people to help with medical care. When unrest broke out in the area she was gang-raped by a group of men who broke into her home. Dr. Roseveare shared in a shocking interview that a word came into her heart, a word that seems to be an utterly incredible question. Dr. Roseveare said she fell Our Father asked her, "Can you thank me for this experience, even if you never know why it happened?" Her reply? "Yes!"
Dr. Roseveare eventually was given the opportunity to see an amazing miracle that came through her experience - a miracle that caused a huge shift in the politics of the entire nation.
If you are currently experiencing abuse - get as far away from that person as possible immediately. Do not stay there one more minute. Your life is in danger!
When you are in a safe place, call a prayer line. Call a crisis line.
If you are no longer in danger, and struggling to forgive your abuser, here are some resources you might find useful.
Forgiveness Encounter Meditation
The following forgiveness meditation from Encounter has been very useful to me.
Big You, Little You
This book was very helpful for me in helping deal with my childhood trauma.
Stop Worrying and Start Living
This book has true stories of people who have survived some horrible situations.
Tough Times Don't Last Tough People Do
Similar to Stop Worrying and Start Living, this book has encouraging true stories of people who have survived some very tough times
What forgiveness resources would you recommend to your friends?
Sister Su is grateful to God for keeping her alive. She writes on several blogs, has a YouTube channel and is most easily reached through Twitter @Sister_Su
This post was proofread by the free version of Grammarly
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