Catherine Marshall on Forgiving

I was looking through some books today and found a compilation of the works of Catherine Marshall, long-time best selling author in Christian circles. As I leafed through the pages, I saw a little article entitled "To Forgive..and Forget". She tells of being attacked verbally by a woman who detested her writings and the author said that she had a physical sensation every time she even thought about the woman, "as of iron bars pressing against my chest." Yes, Catherine, there is that feeling and it is not Santa Claus.

She said that through prayer, God revealed to her that she was to ask forgiveness for holding on to these memories and "ask for an alarm system on the door of my mind whenever the memory tries to creep back." She said that she tried to train herself to look on everyone who had hurt her with compassion and love and concentrate on the potential they have for good.

As an afterthought, she asked God if that approach will bring about changes in them? God said, "That's between them and Me. You will have peace."

That is probably a baby step for me. What if I ask God (I hope I don't hear "This is not a working number!") for forgiveness for holding on to such painful memories and let this person go. I call this a prayer of relinquishment for the person who makes it. It may stop a few of the iron bars from being felt if one knew that they were no longer responsible for keeping the pressure on. I will make the request and let it go like a kite in the sky.