How does one forgive one self?

[Trash Can]

I screwed up.
I knew better, yet I still did it.
I knew the results, I knew... I knew... I knew...

yet I STILL chose to do the wrong thing... and I hurt others, and myself... and now the consequences are severe.

My God has forgiven me, this I know and believe. My friends, well... they say they love me, and are there for me.

BUT...

I knew better!!! and I can't seem to forgive myself for doing what I did.

How do I forgive myself?

 

[80sU2isBest]

Originally posted by Trash Can:
How do I forgive myself?

Truth be told, man doesn't have the power to forgive himself. That's God's grace that does that. But the secret, as a Christian, is accepting the forgiveness God has already given you, 2000 years ago on the cross. When you accepted his gift of forgiveness, your slate is wiped clean. God is true to your promises. If you have accepted Him as Savior and Lord, he remembers your sin no more. Guilt is good to a degree - it shows us that we are God's children and feel bad for the wrong we do. But Christ took that guilt upon himself when he died on the cross. repent of your sin and accept his mercy and grace. He loves you, man!

 

[Like O2]

Good to "see ya" back on the board T C. I was cleaning out a drawer today and found this old, folded piece of paper that I almost tossed without looking at it. Now I'm glad I kept it, because maybe it was meant for you. Here's what it said:

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters
By Portia Nelson

I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost...I am helpless.
It takes forever to find a way out.

II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don?t see it.
I fall in again.
I can?t believe I am in the same place,
But it isn?t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in...it?s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V
I walk down another street.

I think you'll find forgiveness down the other street.

Peace,
Claire

 

[pub crawler]

That's awesome, Claire. Trash Can, good to see you back! I was wondering what happened to you.

 

[Spiral_Staircase]

Trash Can,

I really know where your coming from. One night a while back, I was standing right where you are (or where I think you are) and hated myself. I was so mad that I wanted to do what was right, and yet I was always doing what I knew was wrong. I didn't want to be alone with my thoughts, so I picked up my guitar and just started playing. I played "Love Rescue Me", and as I sang, it was like I was hearing the words for the first time. They took on a totally new meaning for me. The song was saying exactly what I was feeling. If you've ever the 7th chapeter of the book of Romans, to me it has the same message as that song. Anyway, I don't really know why I told that story, except to say that I think I know where your coming from and that song was very meaningful to me when I was in a similar place.

The above posts by 80's and Like O2 are great and right on.

 

[Like O2]

Originally posted by Spiral_Staircase:
I played "Love Rescue Me", and as I sang, it was like I was hearing the words for the first time. They took on a totally new meaning for me. The song was saying exactly what I was feeling.

That's a great story and suggestion Sprial Staircase. Here are the words to inspire/heal all of us:

Love rescue me
Come forth and speak to me
Raise me up and don't let me fall
No man is my enemy
My own hands imprison me
Love rescue me


Many strangers have I met
On the road to my regret
Many lost who seek to find themselves in me
They ask me to reveal
The very thoughts they would conceal
Love rescue me


And the sun in the sky
Makes a shadow of you and I
Stretching out as the sun sinks in the sea
I'm here without a name
In the palace of my shame
Said, love rescue me


In the cold mirror of a glass
I see my reflection pass
See the dark shades of what I used to be
See the purple of her eyes
The scarlet of my lies
Love rescue me


Yea, though I walk
In the valley of shadow
Yea, I will fear no evil
I have cursed thy rod and staff
They no longer comfort me
Love rescue me


Sha la la...sha la la la
Sha la la la...ha la la...
Sha la la la...sha la la la
Sha la la la...sha la la
Sha la la la...sha la la la
Sha la la...
I said love, love rescue me


I said love
Climb up the mountains, said love
I said love, oh my love
On the hill of the son
I'm on the eve of a storm
And my word you must believe in
Oh, I said love, rescue me
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah...


Yeah I'm here without a name
In the palace of my shame
I said love rescue me


I've conquered my past
The future is here at last
I stand at the entrance
To a new world I can see
The ruins to the right of me
Will soon have lost sight of me
Love rescue me


BTW T C, an e-mail to you is in works and will be sent sooner than that CD you're waiting for.

 

[Trash Can]

"Sha la la la"???

Hey... thanks guys!
I was in a real shit mood when I wrote this Post. A lot of self pity.

"This too shall pass".

Here's what a friend told me:

Self-hatred (yeah...there's that in me, too) and Pride are seperate sides of the same coin. The reason one hates oneself for something one has done is that he has violated one of his "pride positions".

I did.

And it's "pride" that makes me fill... like shit.

I'm human... just everyone else. I make stupid stupid mistakes... just like everyone else... And God forgives me... Just like He does everyone else... I have to dump my ego, accept what I did, Accept His forgiveness...STOP FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF... And go on.

and I will...

God bless ya all!!!


Peace!

 

[Like O2]

Originally posted by Trash Can:
"Sha la la la"???

I have go on.
and I will...

I think there are few too many Sha la la's myself

I'm glad to hear you will.....

 

[hiphop]

Good to "see ya" back on the board T C. I was cleaning out a drawer today and found this old, folded piece of paper that I almost tossed without looking at it. Now I'm glad I kept it, because maybe it was meant for you. Here's what it said:

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters
By Portia Nelson

I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost...I am helpless.
It takes forever to find a way out.

II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don?t see it.
I fall in again.
I can?t believe I am in the same place,
But it isn?t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in...it?s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V
I walk down another street.

I think you'll find forgiveness down the other street.

Peace,
Claire

Wow.


Wow.

 

[Like O2]

I thought for a second that Trash Can was back.

But thank's for bumping this thread whenhipho, I needed to read and remember this again...

IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V
I walk down another street

 

[Dreadsox]

10 Years ago this coming August I made a decision. It was the right decision to make for my wife and future children. It is a decision that haunts me to this day even thought it was the right decision. I thought I had forgiven myself but due to cirumstances the wounds have been reopened.

I have a loving family, two beautiful kids, and a wife that is a saint (has to be she married me). When my children were born, I was convinced that the decision I made was the right one. I am blessed and I am a healthier person because of the choice I made. I had learned to forgive myself.

Last summer, I thought a window opened. A chance to see if the decision could be undone. A chance to see if things, history, could be changed. After three months of work, it became very clear that things could not be undone.

I found myself back to the place where I have not forgiven myself for the decision I made 10 years ago. Sometimes it consumes me.....Sometimes the logical part of my mind convinces me I did the right thing move on....other times.....the opposite. What I thought was settled in my mind is not once again.

How does one forgive themself?

It is an awesome question. As you have said, God has forgiven. The poem is awesome and the words from Love Rescue Me are awesome words for this question. I will focus on both for a while.

 

[hiphop]

I am at No. III I think... I hope not at No. II.