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Today’s Thought
Peter: “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus:  “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

When Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness, Jesus did not hem and haw or give a response with a lot of fine print. He did not give Peter a list of conditions or circumstances, where not forgiving was understandable and acceptable. He basically told Peter to forgive and to keep on forgiving.

“But they…” is a famous refrain of our children, when trying to explain why they did something. “But they…” is not a forgiveness mindset. It is a mindset that declares, “I shouldn’t have to be sorry and here is why.”

As adults, we too play the “But they…” card. All too soon and all too often, we learn the hard way that there are no solutions at the end of a pointed finger. Forgive and forget are the best medicine.

“To err is human,” wrote Shakespeare, “to forgive divine.”  Forgiveness is a hot topic and hard pill to swallow for many, many people. When I do affirmation requests on Twitter, forgiveness is nearly always one of the requested topics.

Forgiveness is a quality we can all strive to better embody. After all, all forgiveness is a choice. It is never beyond our power nor beyond our control.Forgiveness has the unique quality of healing relationships and healing ourselves. Both the forgiver and the forgiven are released.

The most overlooked aspect of forgiveness is self-forgiveness. Years ago I did some work with a Barbara Brennan trained healer. The energy work he did was enormously helpful. The thing that I recall most from the whole experience was a note he sent me by mail after my last session.

It read in part, “Now you embark on a new path; a path of forgiveness. Let your forgiveness expand not only to the people around you, but to that person that you find it most difficult to forgive – yourself.”

These affirmations and original quotes are written to inspire forgiveness in your life today and in the broader world beyond. May you find forgiveness in your life. May you grant forgiveness too.

Affirmations

1. As I forgive others, I am forgiven As forgiveness grows in my life, my anger melts away.
2. I am completely forgiven and forgiving in my life.
3. Today I forgive. Today I forget. Today I move on.
4. Whatever I forgive moves me forward. Whatever I hold onto holds me back.
5. I forgive and I am cleansed. I forget and I am released.
6. I forgive myself today. I forgive myself tomorrow. I forgive myself always.
7.  I have no stake in who is right or wrong. Today I forgive and I move on!
8. Today I forgive and forget As I forgive, I release my happiness from the chains that have bound it!
9. I forgive myself. I forgive my family. I forgive my friends. I forgive my enemies.
10. Today I choose forgiveness over anger. Today I choose forgiveness over hatred. Today I choose forgiveness over self-destruction.
11. Whatever I release, frees me.
12. Breathing in, I feel my anger. Breathing out, I let it go.
13. The grudges I hold, hold me and so  I forgive and forget.
14. I forgive and I am happy. I forgive and I am empowered. I forgive and I am transformed.
15. I forgive first. I forgive last. I forgive always.

Quotes

1. Anger is a fire. Forgiveness is a cool mountain stream.
2. Forgiveness is a decision, not an emotion.
3. Forgive and see what you get. Forget and watch how it gives.
4. Forgiveness is the world’s greatest physician; love its greatest healer.
5. A relationship without forgiveness is a relationship without a future.
6. Forgiveness is a dance where you must take the lead. The world may perish waiting for the person to forgive first.
7. Forgive what you can. Forget what you must. Live a life that embraces happiness.
8. Forgiving is the gift that keeps on giving.

Follow your bliss! Experience your bliss! Become your bliss!

Ray

Ray Davis is the Founder of The Affirmation Spot and the author of The Power to Be You: 416 Daily Thoughts for Empowerment .