if you are rebuked, should forgiveness follow and if not how can a person forgive themselves?
819207
If you want true forgiveness you first have to say to yourself I will never do that again and if you can than you are forgiven. Remember God gave you undeserved Kindness. He forgives faster than we forgive ourselves. That's what Undeserved Kindness is. No one deserves God to forgive him He just does.
286604
You don't say what you did to make her mad. If the perceived offense was 'bad' enough she may never forgive you.\n\nTry being as nice as you can to her. (but don't go overboard and be annoying) Try to make up for what you did. Eventually she'll forgive you or you'll get tired of trying.\n\nYou can't make anyone forgive you, unfortunately. You may just have to chalk it up to experience and move on. And don't repeat the mistake with someone else. Learn from it!
624116
max,\n\nYou forgive other people for your freedom. At first, the best you can do may be to just say that you forgive the person. Keep working at forgiving until you are free. If the person who wronged you asks for forgiveness then forgive them. That is of benefit for both of you.\n\nYou could have lost someone on 9/11 and then decide to forgive the perpetrators. If they had lived, they would have faced trial and been executed. Your forgiveness didn’t remove their guilt, it just sets you free. Your forgiveness doesn’t excuse their sin, it just allows you to live without the burden of carrying around that mess in your soul.\n\nGod has forgiven Christians from a debt so large that they could never pay it, but if we don’t forgive those who sin against us, then He will not forgive us.\n\nYou don’t say what your background is, but since you asked your question in “Religion & Spirituality” it should be OK to quote Jesus on the subject. Here is what Jesus said to Peter:\n\nThen Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" \n\nJesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.   \n\nTherefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents (millions of dollars) was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. \n\nThe servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. \n\nBut when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii (a few dollars.) He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. \n\nHis fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' \n\nBut he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. \n\nThen the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. \n\nThis is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."  Matthew 18:21-35\n\nJesus wasn’t saying that God would throw you into a physical prison to be tortured, but you make your own prison by judging another person and finding them guilty. God is the only righteous judge, and He said vengeance belongs to Him, and we are to avoid judging anyone.\n\nIt doesn’t come easy, but forgiveness is required obedience to God. That doesn’t let the person off the hook; it lets you off the hook.\n\nGod bless.
164438
Forgiveness is one of the most often misunderstood things in the world, but the answer to your question is yes, abolutely!\nNo matter what someone has done, you can forgive (and must forgive them, if you want to be forgiven yourself).\nForgiveness does not mean that what a person did was right, or make it OK, it simply means that you release them from the obligation to make it right to you.\nForgiveness does not mean that (in some cases) legal proceedings will not happen (or should not happen).\nForgiving a person does not mean that you trust them again, in fact, in some cases this would be the height of foolishness (such as a person who has abused you in some way).
466723
One can forgive, but they cannot always forget. It seems like it may is time to move on if you have attempted to address the issue to no avail. \nThere is someone better out there that will treat you as you deserve to be treated.
154827
You forgive people for your own sake as well as for theirs.  If you hang on to the anger and bitterness you might feel for someone who has wronged you, you are hurting yourself, and probably not hurting or affecting that other person at all.\n\nSo forgive because it is good for you.  Rise above needing the other person to feel remorse.  Forgive for yourself, for your own well being, and we will all be better for it.
614821
Worst thing that you could do to your family??  Directly?  Indirectly?\n\nAnything can be forgiven if the one who is guilty of the transgression toward the family goes to each one of them, sincerely apologizes, and never repeats the transgression.\n\nUnfortunately, it will be up to the individual whether or not they are willing to forgive you.  Also, just because you're forgiven doesn't mean you will be allowed back into lives.  You can forgive someone; but you, very seldom, will allow them close enough to ever hurt you again. \n\nForgiveness from anyone is not a ticket to putting a relationship back where it was before the betrayal, and it's a very thin consolation for losing the trust of family. Sorry.
209967
People will do and say anything to provoke others and it is best to express forgiveness and I hope you can forgive that person but as for me I do have a difficult time forgiving others for their trespasses against me especially when there are things in my past that has left me emotionally scarred to where I express distrust and resentment towards others mixed with a short temper and I do admit that this does hinder my personal relationship with the lord and I would ask that you would remember me in your prayers since it is likely that I'm about to get kicked off of this forum of which I don't care if I do get the boot.\nThey can kick the lord out of this forum but they can't kick the lord out of me.
165572
Yes I believe that an apology is in order.\n\nI would personally never consciously do anything to insult another person's faith.  There are some lines that you do not cross and I believe that this is one of them.\n\nJust for the record, my own path is Christian/Buddhist.
297826
The deal is, you yourself are supposed to feel more inclined to not do the sin again. You are supposed to feel regret, and say, damn, thats a sin, im not doing that again.\n\nBut if you keep doing it, then it probably doesnt mean much to you if you confess. If this is true, then there isnt a real reason to confess your sins. Repent yourself if you feel you did wrong, and if you feel you did nothing wrong, live your life as you want to.
624426
I remember asking myself this alot when I was a young girl. I asked this very question once. Someone closer to God answered this for me.\n\nIf you ask your Heavenly Father to forgive you of a sin with all your heart and mean it, he will. \n\nIf you turn around and continue to repeat that very sin, then ask for forgiveness, God looks at this as * What sin is this do you ask me to forgive you for twice?* \n\nIt was forgotten and erased away the first time you asked him. \n\nNow I do believe because we are human, we will continue to make mistakes. Some of those mistakes will probably be what we have already asked for forgiveness for. However, God does understand we are only human. This doesnt pardon you to continue to do the same thing over and over. God knows your heart. Its that simple. When and if you continue to do the same mistake over and over, God knows your heart. He will know and understand your life at that time, what you are faced with and the fact you are trying to make it better.\n\nI dont have the magic answer here. But I do believe that God knows your heart. If you are changing your life, making an effor to be righteous and do the right thing, God knows this about you. We will all falter at one time or another. Just be diligent and keep on.
114155
If a person hates you, they do. You can only be yourself. Say you are sorry once and if that's not enough move on.
465166
Easy.  Just ask Jesus for forgiveness and then don't sin again.  He WILL forgive you.
366131
You will never be completely held unless you forgive. keeping in all that anger when your upset with someone will only result in hurting you mentally and eventually physically. Its very important that your able to look the person in the eye and say I forgive you, and genuinely mean it. I obviously don't know what the cause was, but we all face hardship in our life's; and if we're unable to move on then we are holding ourselves back by holding a grudge, we'll never experience the joys of life until that burden is released. Jesus can't forgive you, until you forgive your enemy.
41703
I wish I could say "forgive" and forget. But "once a cheater-always a cheater." Actually, if you will listen to the wisdom that is inside of you, you already know what to do . . . \n\nThe reality is that being able to cheat is a huge character flaw. It means that person does not respect you or themselves. Plus, that person is able to lie and not feel guilty enough about it to break and tell the truth. I am no kid ~~ and if you are young, please learn from those of us who have been around the block and few times ~~ respect yourself and without a lot of drama -- tell the guy goodbye.  \n\nAre there ever cheaters who change? Yes, but you will find that those who have usually had a deep life-changing religious experience. Those who are "sorry" and say "they will never do it again" without a deep internal overhaul, are the ones who cheat again. \n\nI have experienced it all. I have been cheated on, I have been hurt until I didn't think I could hurt any more, I have forgiven, and I have been hurt right back again. This is not a vindictive response. This is a word from one older sister to a younger one -- stay away from the cheaters. They will only break you heart.
942826
Forgive yourself and realize you deserve better.
524223
Well it kind of depends on how badly the other person took the 'misconception', they might never forgive you, or they might not ever be as close a friend since they felt you betrayed their friendship.So actually there are more than one chance that you cannot revive the friendship. \n\nBut, if you are determined to try you ask the person to meet you in a neutral place, or go to their home after calling and letting them know you are coming, and then you tell the whole story and apologize profusely and explain it is all your fault and ask for forgiveness, if they accept then tell them that you miss their friendship terribly, and would like to renew it if it is all possible, and then you cross your fingers, because they are either going to say OK they missed you too,  or they are going to say you destroyed the friendship and they cannot trust you again. \n\nEither way, you will have your answer and you can go on with your life knowing that you tried.\nGood Luck