A little boy and his sister were visiting their grandparents who lived on a farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit a target or whatever he was aiming at.
Getting a little discouraged, he headed back to the house for dinner. As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck.
Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly…it hit the duck square in the head, and killed it! He was shocked…and grieved… and scared.
In a panic, he hid its dead body in the wood pile, only to see his sister, Sally, watching him…she had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes."
But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.” Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So, Johnny helped with the dishes and clean-up.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I really need Sally here to help me with supper."
Sally just smiled and said," Well, I’ll go fishing because Johnny told me he wanted to help out…so, he can stay and help you with dinner.” She whispered again to Johnny, "Remember the duck?"
So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed and helped in the kitchen…and missed out on the fishing.
After several days of doing both his chores and also Sally’s, Johnny could not stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed to her that he had killed the duck.
Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window, and I saw the whole thing; but, because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally and your guilt make a slave of you.”
- Author Unknown
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Whatever is in your past; whatever you have done (lying, cheating, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)… the devil will keep throwing it up in your face . You need to know and remember that God is always “standing at the window” and sees each and every thing. He sees your whole life; He wants you to know that He loves you. He will forgive you if you confess and ask Him to do so.
The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, He forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.
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Forgiveness is one of the most fundamental teachings in Scripture. Bible verses about forgiveness can be found throughout the Old and New Testament as one of the defining themes of the Bible. Forgiveness’s finest moment is Christ’s death on the cross, where He sacrificed Himself so He can, in turn, forgive us for our sins. Anyone familiar with the Bible knows that forgiveness is one of its key principles. The rich themes of forgiveness running throughout Scriptures originate in this moment. What is important for Christians to realize is that as forgiven people, they are called to forgive others. God is not satisfied with His people receiving forgiveness while harboring bitterness and grudges. - Dr. Brent Potter
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From high in the skies God looks around, He sees all Adam’s brood. From where He sits He overlooks all us earth-dwellers. He has shaped each person in turn; now He watches everything we do. Psalm 33:13-14 The Message
But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. John 1:9 NLT
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. Psalm 139:1-3 NLT
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13 NLT
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the Son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:34-36 ESV
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If you have a story or testimony that you think might bless others,
I invite you to send it by email to me (Kenneth Kersey) at godsotherways@me.com.
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