Forgiveness: True Self-Care

This book has one powerful practice in that I find stunningly beautiful.

Let me preface this, this is a spiritual blog and not a religious one. I do my best to extract practices for anyone. Let me first explain this practice and then go into the "if you aren't Christian, you might try" portion.

If you are Christian...

Christ came to cover your sins in His blood. He came to be the ultimate sacrifice, to take away the sins of the world. Jesus died for your sins and he died for your neighbor's sins and he died for friend's sins and he died for your enemy's sins. Jesus hung on the cross for the sins of those who have sinned against you. He died for every single person's sins.

Lysa explains this practice taught to her for handling situations where you are struggling to give forgiveness to another. This has nothing to do with interaction with the person/s. This is your internal state of forgiveness. So let's get to this this: you will need index cards and red felt squares larger than the index cards. On the cards, write:

"I forgive _______ for _______ and whatever my feelings will not yet allow for, the blood of Jesus will surely cover."

Cover the index card with the red felt visualizing Jesus' blood covering the sins. Even if you cannot yet forgive, you can believe in the power of God's grace and His ultimate sacrifice to forgive this person.

Whoa!

One of my favorite scriptures right now is Mark 9:24, "I believe, help my unbelief!" Simple faith in the power of forgiveness can leave you with space for that forgiveness to become real.

If you aren't a Christian...

Take this same exercise and make the felt square blue for the cleansing power of water. Maybe say:

"I forgive _______ for _______ and whatever my feelings will not yet allow for, the cleansing power of Water will surely cover."

Cover the index card with the blue felt while visualizing water cleansing and renewing these feelings, making them "clean" and whole again.

Take this same exercise and make the felt square green or brown for the transmuting power of Mother Earth. Maybe say:

"I forgive _______ for _______ and whatever my feelings will not yet allow for, the magnificent power of Mother Earth will surely cover."

Cover the index card with the green or brown felt while visualizing Mother Earth transmuting the energies surrounding this. She can assist in transforming it into something higher or if you want to give it all to Her, She can take the energies, cleans them, and use it to heal from within.