"To forgive, is the highest most beautiful form of love" - Robert Muller

Today's topic is forgiveness. Another very elusive one. Who do you look to for forgiveness? God? A Priest? A Rabbi? Other people? Yourself? Noone?

To me, God is who I look to for forgiveness. If I hurt someone else, I may ask them for forgiveness as well, but even if they forgive me I have to forgive myself and still ask God for forgiveness as well. I don't think He forgives me just because someone else does.

When I am praying, sometimes I pray for forgiveness, and sometimes I get overwhelmed with emotion. When this happens, it feels the most right. It feels honest and afterwards I become much more content and at peace with myself. Other times, when I am just kinda going thru the motions, I don't reach the same state of contentment.

What do you think about forgiveness? Any thoughts or other quotes from your holy writings to share?

"Thus have We recounted unto you the tales of the one true God, and sent down unto you the things He had preordained, that haply ye may ask forgiveness of Him, may return unto Him, may truly repent, may realize your misdeeds, may shake off your slumber, may be roused from your heedlessness, may atone for the things that have escaped you, and be of them that do good."

(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 130)

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour."

(King James Bible, Ephesians)

"And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

9:3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 9:5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?"

(King James Bible, Matthew)

"Not before thy elder, Arjun, but in yonder purple field,
'Gainst thy rival and thy foeman use thy warlike sword and shield,
Render honour to thy elder, quench thy hasty impious wrath,
Render faith to holy sastra, leave not virtue's sacred path,
Bow before thy virtuous elder as before the gods in heaven,
Sheathe thy sword and quell thy passion, be thy hasty sin forgiven!"

(Hindu, Mababharata (R. Dutt, abridged tr))

"Those who bear the Throne, and all who are round about it, hymn the praises of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who believe (saying): Our Lord! Thou comprehendest all things in mercy and knowledge, therefor forgive those who repent and follow Thy way. Ward off from them the punishment of hell."

(The Qur'an (Pickthall tr), Sura 40 - The Forgiving One)

"For the reward of virtue and the forgiveness of sins, I do (deeds
of) righteousness for the love of my soul. May all virtuousness
of all good ones of the earth of seven climes reach the width
of the earth, the length of the rivers, the height of the sun
in their original form. May it be righteous, live long. Thus may
it come as I wish.
Ashem Vohu...!!"

(The Zend-Avesta, Khorda Avesta - Book of Common Prayer pt. 1)