Two examples of how I forgave only because I am a Christian. Both of those choices and genuine extension brought both men I will speak of into a personal relationship with Christ. Had I not forgiven and had not walked and talked but Christ expects of us, binding their sins to them, rather than loosing them, it is hard to say with certainty if they would have gone on to enter into a personal relationship with the Lord.

One was my grandfather who molested me repeatedly for a few years between the age of about 3-4 through 6 until my Dad discovered him and stopped it. After I had a daughter of my own and desired better for her than I had, I struggled greatly to forgive this man, yet I did and went to him and told him because of Jesus I can forgive him. He replied, "I enjoyed it." I could have let the wounds fester anew, but I had truly forgiven and continued to pray for him and display kindness. I was the one to find his 3 day old dead body. As the ambulance came to remove him, a neighbor came out and introduced herself to me. She simply told me that just a week before that she was able to tell him of Jesus, he received Him and she knows that he is in heaven. That is all that was said and when I discovered the body, I had asked God to show me a sign that he had repented.

One second instance is this. I was married to an unbeliever for 15 years who was consistently abusing me physically, sexually, mentally,emotionally and spiritually (I married my childhood love at 18 before I became a Christian at 21). My ex-spouse resisted God in any and all areas of his life. He began a

study in the black magic arts and Nazism. He was an alcoholic and a drug abuser, riding with outlaw bikers, committing crimes, and only employed on occasion. He

truly believed that I had been “programmed” by the church, and stated that I needed to be “deprogrammed”. This became his mission our last year together. I had to forgive him almost daily.

He finally murdered a man, became a fugitive and wasn't captured for another 8 years while during that time attempted another murder, leaving the victim for what he thought was dead. He was featured on America's Most Wanted twice, and at the end of the second show, he turned himself in.

Some time later while in prison he wrote to me and stated he was now a Christian due because of my prayers for him and the consistency of my witness. He added that with each memory of the things he had done to me caused him to vomit. He asked me, according to the Twelve Steps, for forgiveness. I wrote back telling him I was grateful he was now a Christian, I had already forgiven him many years ago, and oh yes, as happy as I am for his decision please leave me alone now as I have a new life. He honored that, and as of 17 years later, I have heard he is still a sober Christian.

Had I refused to forgive, I would just be one of those miserable victims who cannot advance spiritually in the Kingdom of God. Had I not forgiven, those two would never understand the depth of love that sent Jesus to calvary to die for their sins.

editor, i can only pray that someday i have faith as strong as yours, that my tiny mustard seed can also move mountains.

Thanks, Rose. I honestly know that that particular forgiveness was not from me, but from the Holy Spirit. I know my frailties too well to think I mustered that type of love on my own. All I had to do was believe that we must forgive others the same way God has forgiven us and say I'll attempt it, Lord.

thank you, ed, for putting that in such perfect perspective for me. i have not asked to be forgiving like that, because i still harbor fear in my heart. something new to work on!

wow, i'm pretty much speechless after hearing your stories, ed.

i only have one instance of anything really bad being done to me and i still struggle with not being angry about it, when i think of it, which is not often.

Our God is an awesome and powerful God, his mercy's are new every day.

I too was molested by a family member when I was 4 or 5 years old. I confronted him, he denied it.

I did not forgive right away I allowed the anger and resentment to fester for five years, I wallowed in it. I was bitter and depressed. Until the day I chose to forgive, truly forgive was the burden lifted from my heart and soul.

It was not my power, but the power of the Holy Spirit that indwells. My molester is a Christian now as well. While I do not expect nor desire his confession, I pray that he will one day be broken before God that he may also be relieved of the burden of guilt.

When asked 'what is the greatest command?' Jesus responded; To love thy God with all that you are and the second greatest command to love thy neighbor as thyself.

I struggle with that command daily, fighting the inherent selfishness that is my human nature. But thank the Lord, his mercy's are new everyday.

Dear Maggie, thank you so much for joining in with us and displaying the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives to guide us on the painful path of full forgiveness.

I sorrow that you had that happen to you as a child. It surely does shape and mold us into someone we did not choose to be.

We are overcomers and we now can fully exclaim, 1Jn 4:4 You are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.