Day 3

Genesis 50: 20  "Don't you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good..."

Joseph's brothers are asking for forgiveness. Joseph is telling them that though they have tried to harm him, God continues to see that he is blessed and cared for. I don't know how relative it is to this passage, but I'm always thinking back to a phrase I heard years ago, "If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it." Nothing will be sent your way that God doesn't think you can handle, with or without His help, including what others do to you.

Back to the lesson on forgiveness though...
Forgiving others gives the feeling of accomplishment. Letting them know that you acknowledge what they've done, but that you're not going to hold it against them necessarily. Maybe they have an excuse or it wasn't a big deal, or maybe it just isn't worth fighting over. You accept an apology and it's no longer an issue. You're a bigger person for it, it's one less thing to worry about. I don't know. It takes a strong person to forgive. A person who is caring, and believing in the person who has done the wrong-doing. Do they forgive because they care?
Being forgiven is completely different. I continue to feel guilty after I've been forgiven. I think and think over why I did whatever it was that I did, what I should have done differently, unfortunately even 'can I get away with this again?' If I'm forgiven for something, or anyone else, what's to stop me (them) from doing it again? Does all forgiveness come with a punishment? I do like to think that I've learned something out of the whole situation, hopefully for the better, and not a way to be sneaky and not get caught the next time around...