Why do we guilt-trip others? Because we’ve forgotten the grace we ourselves received when we didn’t have a leg to stand on.

Our forgiveness is worthless unless it makes it possible for others to forgive themselves. Self-forgiveness was Paul’s hurdle!

The ancient Persians punished murderers by strapping the victim to their back. It dragged them down, identified them with their past, the smell of it drove others away and eventually it robbed them of their very life.  Nothing’s heavier than guilt. It will: a) Drag you down and turn living into merely existing b) Cause you to leave a bad taste wherever you go. Even your friends will become exhausted and say, ‘Get over it;’ c) Destroy every new relationship you’ve got. Who wants a person having an affair with a corpse? You’d only be using the new to numb the pain of the old d) Shorten your life because you aren’t built to carry it. Cut it loose! Cry if you need to, but when the grieving is over bury it and move on. That is what real forgiveness does for others!