Someone may be wondering why I randomly blitzed out posting quotes on "forgiveness" recently.
Let me clear up that little mystery for you right now.
Very recently came to a fresh realization of just how much I've been forgiven by God. At the time I received Jesus Christ as my Savior, I really didn't think I was such a terrible guy (as Hell-bound sinners go).
I've come to something of an awakening since then. I see now I really was one nasty rat-fink self-centered turdbucket (and still all too capable of the same, if left to myself -- Romans 7:18; 8:7)
I've also been forgiven a great deal by some very gracious peeps, through God's enabling Grace.
But I hurt a couple people a long, long time ago, before I knew the Lord. And I'm hoping against hope that one of them might still find the grace to forgive me, even at this late date, if only for their own peace of mind.
For one of them, I'm so sorry to say that ship has sailed.
And something else. Those who have enjoyed the free forgiveness of God as I have need to forgive others, even as God forgave them (Matthew 18:21-35; Ephesians 4:31-32).
To the best of my knowledge, I have consciously forgiven everyone I know who has sinned against me.
But I can only say that because I know that forgiveness is a choice; not a feeling. I'm taking it on faith that the feelings will follow, in due time. For now, the feelings still tapdance on my ventricles daily, sometimes in steel-tipped stiletto spikes.
Christianity is nothing at all, if it is not all about forgiveness. It begins with our complete, permanent, unconditional forgiveness for ALL sins, past, present AND future (Colossians 2:13; Romans 4:6-8; 8:31-34), because Jesus shed His blood for you, and for me, at Calvary (II Corinthians 5:19; I Peter 2:24; 3:18).
And it involves continuous forgiveness, both for us and from us, from now until He henceforth calls us home.