Forgiveness and Gratitude

In the category of being kind to yourself are two major categories.  They are Forgiveness and Gratitude.  Most people have grown up with these major themes close to their hearts.  But many missed God's point in trying to inspire and motivate us toward forgiving and thankfulness.

They thought they were expected to please God, that is make God more positive toward them, if they expressed thankfulness to God for the gifts of their lives.  Also forgiveness was regarded as a move we must make to soften God's attitude toward us.  In other words they were religious activities.

Today we know something extremely important.  God talked and prophesied on these themes for our personal every day well-being. Forgiving heals our hearts.  that is why God pushes us in that direction.  Forgiving relieves burdens, pressures, resentments that sicken our souls and weigh us down.  Not that forgiving is easy. It often takes enormous effort. Sometimes it helps to change the word.  Instead of "forgive" we can say "let it go" or "give it to God."  The advantage of these other words is that they illustrate ther removal of enormous hurts from our hearts--not letting a guilty operson off.

Gratitude has taken a similar turn.  It's synonym is thankfulness.  Both words are every day attitudes for Jesus' children.  But again we have mostly supposed that thankfulness was an attitude that showed The Lord our spiritual maturity or appropriatenss.  It does, but God's teaching us to be grateful people is for our well-being every day of the week. People who spend a few minutes every hour to realize and "give thanks" for all their hourly blessings become happier and healthier.

So first of all we give thanks for the presence of Jesus and his Love in our hearts, then we go on to number all the other beauties and benefits of every day of life.

Act Like You Care

Act Like You Are Kind

I doubt that doing good, helping someone, cheering another person—even when you do not feel like doing it, can ever be called phony.  Immeasurable good, spirit-lifting, and even healing is possible through actions performed by those who are determined to do what is right and needed even if they themselves are feeling overwhelmed, lacking in confidence, and maybe even irritated.  Not only that, once done the one who did it will feel better!

Paying compliments, speaking worlds of encouragement, expressing appreciation and admiration must not wait until we feel like delivering such gifts.  Such actions are part of doing what is right and what is needed.  They are not to wait until we feel warm and friendly.  They are a matter of will more than emotions.  “Love one another” is not amended by the words “when you feel like it.”

# 7 Amend your Story

#7  Amend and edit your grievance story in such a way that you are reminded you have the powerful option to forgive.  Other words for forgive are "let it go"  "release it"  "Give it to God"  These expressions are less likely to include the idea of discounting what another did to you that was pretty dastardly.---Lushkin

# 6 Seek new ways. (Lushkin).

# 6  Put your energy into looking for another way to reach your positive goals.  Erase the direction or option that has led to your present hurt.

# 5 Give up expecting...from others....

# 5  Stop expecting things from others, or from life itself that may not ever be reasonable to expect.

You can hope and pray for health, love, friendship and prosperity.  You can work hard to achieve them  But do not demand or depend on such things happening.  Do not set your heart on something that may not happen.

# 4 Get the Right Perspective....

Your primary distress comes from your injured feelings.  Not from what happened.  Therefore practice stress-management any moment you feel the upset.  Work to soothe your flight or fight intentions.

3. cf. Frederic Lushkin of Stanford University-all points originate with Dr. Lushkin

# 3   "Understand your goal.  Forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciling with people or condoning their action.  You are looking for peace, the peace that comes from blaming less the one who has hurt you.  It is a process of taking the experiwence less personally and changing the way you look at your grievance.