Forgive them for they do not know what they do.
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The Lord has not sinned, why would He need forgiveness?
BruceLeiter
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For most of the first 43 years of my life, I was angry at God for allowing losses that I had experienced like the death of my brother and our son as well as my seven years of major depression. Then, God enlightened me with a biblical pattern that isn't in the western culture, lamenting like Job in chapter 10; David in Psalms 6, 22, 39, 88, and 73 of the 150 Psalms; and Jeremiah (Lamentations 3). I lamented persistently for 8 1/2 months 3 or 4 times a week until God gave me his promised gift of his peace (Philippians 4:6-7) to accept God's permissive will for my life. For over 3 decades, my depression has not returned. I thank him for his grace and love.
Psa 39:7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
Psa 39:8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
Psa 39:9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it.
Psa 39:10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
Psa 39:11 When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah
Psa 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.
Psa 39:13 Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!”
Php 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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Are you saying you forgave God for your own misunderstanding? God is perfect and doesn't need our forgiveness due to any error on His part.
When I had cancer and got upset with God for it, it wasn't God's fault. He didn't need me to forgive Him. I just needed to change my own selfish perspective.
BruceLeiter
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No, I forgave God for allowing many losses in my life. He didn't cause them, but he did allow or permit them to happen for a much greater good.
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Forgiveness applies to sin. God never sinned against you.
BruceLeiter
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You're right, @Lamb, but when our second boy died, when I spent seven years of major depression, and when I have experienced more than 3 decades of physical pain, it felt to me that his plan was wrong. So, I lamented those events that God had allowed. He gave me his peace about all of them (Philippians 4:6-7) and took away my depression permanently. My anger about them disappeared. In that sense, I forgave (let go of my anger at) him. (See the book What God Has Done: My True, Dramatic God-Biography [Amazon].)
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I'm sorry for your pain, but God did not wrong you. He cannot sin, so there was nothing for you to forgive. Blame Him all you want because you miss your son, but God is good and just and does not need forgiveness for allowing things to happen to us and our loved ones.
BruceLeiter
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@Lamb, I was angry at God for including my many losses in his permissive plan for my life. I had to let go of that anger and to find his peace (Philippians 4:6-7), which he gave me after my many laments!
Php 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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That sounds like He worked repentance into you...because He didn't sin against you. You were mistaken and He gave you peace. But that isn't what forgiveness is. Forgiveness is about forgiving sins and those who sin against you, which God did neither. I'm so glad He helped you through the difficult times in your life.
BruceLeiter
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Yes, I'm very thankful, @Lamb!