Forgive One Another Freely - UNDERSTAND WHY YOU FEEL THE WAY YOU DO

When we are treated badly or think that we have been treated badly, we can get very upset.  One young man described what happened once he got angry: 'I walked out of the house and said I would never come back.  It was a summer day, and I walked down a lovely little road. In this quiet beautiful place, I started to calm down.  Later, I went back home, feeling sorry that I got so angry.'  If you take some time to calm down as this man did, you can think about your situation more clearly instead of responding in a way that you will later regret. - PSALM 4:4; PROVERBS 14:29; JAMES 1:19, 20.

But what should you do if you are still upset even after you took the time to calm down.  Think about why you are upset.  Is it because what happened was unjust? Is it because someone was not polite to you?  Or is it because you think the other person tried to hurt you on purpose?  Was what he or she did really so bad?  If you try to figure out you got upset. you can figure out what Bible principles will help you to change those feelings.  Then you can react in a way Jehovah approves. (Read Proverbs 15:28; 17:27.)  When you think carefully about the facts instead of about your feelings, you may be more willing to forgive. Even though this can be difficult, the Bible can help you to understand you real feelings about the situation and to imitate Jehovah's willingness to forgive. - HEBREWS 4:12.

Next time:  Forgive One Another Freely - SHOULD YOU BE OFFENDED?

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