.
.

“how often must I forgive?
As many as seven times?”
Jesus answered,
“I say to you, not seven times
but seventy-seven times.
Mt 18

“Imagine being bitten by a snake, and instead of focusing on healing from the poison, you chase the snake to understand why it bit you and to prove that you didn’t deserve it.” ~ Unknown

I already had today’s reflection completed and then discovered the snake quotation which I thought was a pretty good starter for a revised forgiveness reflection.

While my lack of forgiveness may have no effect on the person I’m not forgiving, it has a huge negative effect on me emotionally, physically, psychologically and therefore spiritually.

When I wrote about forgiveness a few years ago one reader added this comment:

My forgiveness of others, by the grace of God, has the power to lighten a situation, to bring about harmony, peace, to alter “emotionally, physically, psychologically and therefore spiritually” others, including the causer of the pain.”

Often it is my awareness of how my own failure to forgive those who have hurt me is actually persecuting and punishing me that shakes me awake to my need to forgive.

So doesn’t it makes sense to just stop chasing the snake?

A prayer from AA – 4th Step with the AA instruction “Do it every day for two weeks and you will find you have come to mean it and to want it for them, and you will realise that where you used to feel bitterness and resentment and hatred, you now feel compassionate understanding and love.”

“Dear Jesus,
Please help me to be free of anger
and to see that the world and its people have dominated me.

Show me that the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real,
has the power to actually kill me.

Help me to master my resentments by understanding
that the people who wrong me were perhaps spiritually sick.

Please help me show those I resent the same tolerance,
pity and patience that I would cheerfully grant a sick friend.

Help me to see that this is a sick person.

Dear Jesus, please show me
how I can be helpful to them
and save me from being angry.

Lord, help me to avoid retaliation or argument.
I know I can’t be helpful to all people,
but at least show me
how to take a kindly and tolerant view
of each and every one.
Thy will be done.

Dear God,
I have a resentment
towards a person that I want to be free of.
So, I am asking you
to give this person everything I want for myself.

Help me to feel compassionate understanding
and love for this person.

I pray that they will receive everything they need.
Thank you God for your help and strength with this resentment.

(AA Big Book, Freedom from Bondage:  552)

 

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Cafe Gatherings

Take an initiative – send me your first name with a cafe location, date and time, turn up and with whoever else turns up chat about your experience of Christ in your life. Write FFF on a serviette and place in the centre of the table so others can find you. Send your initiative to john@fff.org.nz

TODAY  Tuesday 10 March 2026 11.00am
Mariana’s Kitchen (beside the library)
2 Queens Drive Hutt Central
Catherine

Wednesday 11 March 2026 10.00am
Stumble Inn, 200 Mangorei Road, New Plymouth
Joan