[__ Prayer __] forgiving, while being trespassed against

[Christ_empowered]

Like you've read in my literally thousands of posts, I'm low on the totem pole around here. Geeky flamer from a workin class family...I didn't count for much around here when I was younger. Now, my people have (miraculously) forgiven me for everything, they're behind me, and I'm making progress in my life, thanks only to Christ.

OK. The problem I'm having, as I see it, is that I can't really forgive while people are messing with me. Actually...I have trouble with forgiveness in general. Its easier when its in the past and/or you'll never deal with the person/people again. Forgive? You betcha! But when its the neighborhood harassing me, for instance...that gets rough. All the more reason to forgive.

When I pray, I always pray for my enemies. I'm not there yet, but I've softened up. Funny how prayer can change people. Anyway, I pray for my enemies and I pray that God will take the anger and wrath and general nastiness from me. Again: I'm not there yet, but prayer has changed me.

Any tips or thoughts? I'm really not in crisis at the moment (praise God...I'm getting better), but...I dunno. I don't want to be an anger ball. I've mellowed out a whole lot, but...I went to this Christian website, for Christians w/ mental problems. One dude emailed back and said that severe Bipolar I and schizophrenia (they're very similar) can both be caused by holding onto un-forgiveness. I don't know if that's true or not (clearly, I'm staying on meds no matter what), but...it kinda made sense, intuitively.

So...yeah. Please pray that I can learn to forgive, even when its hard, frustrating, seeming impossible to do so. Thanks.

 

[Eugene]

You are always in my prayers brother. Yes, I believe that unforgiveness can trigger the schizophrenia you experience especially with hearing voices condemning you. I've been around some that hear news and other sources of direct communication over the air, and they believe they hear reporters making accusations against them. Normally a slight increase in their meds solved the problem, and that was always at the suggestion of the parent or other one monitoring their present mindset. Other disastrous results were reported of some self medicating.
Blessings in Christ Jesus.

 

[AirDancer]

When I was a young Christian, learning how to forgive, I developed an easy, breezy way of packing up the memory of the wrong, along with any side issues and my attitude towards the event. Since I've always enjoyed traveling (even when it was for business), I mentally visualized an open suitcase into which I packed what was bothering me. Every emotion and attitude went into that bag, even the color of the outfit worn by the person(s) who 'hurt' me. I searched through my memory banks, just to make sure there wasn't some tiny memory lingering or hiding. Once the bag was filled, I zipped it closed, and then I prayed.

I prayed that our Lord would take that suitcase, and release me from taking a free guilt trip to unforgiveness land. I turned everything over to him, firmly and fully believing that He would take that memory-filled bag and release me from the guilt trip.

However you wrap up the hurts/slights/whatevers, turn them over to our Lord. Be sure to include in your prayer the request that He remove any possible remaining thoughts about what happened from you. Sometimes it's those little, tiny pieces of memory that can turn into guilt-based, stress-causing, nagging aches.

You remain in my prayers, my friend