I have been asked to forgive someone that I just cannot forgive. I was sent this by any elder I guess to make me forgive. I know that it is a religious story that was made into a JW one. Does anyone out there have the original one, I would love to have it. Thanks.vs77
The art of forgiveness
Here is an experience that is good to meditate on
It talks about a young 22 yr old pioneer brother that was out in service.
He went to a door and the householder showed irritation at his presence.
The man told him to wait and he came back armed and shot the brother.
The brother died there. During his trial, the man said that he hated Jehovah's Witnesses and had warned that he would kill the first person to knock on his door.
The man was found guilty and was sentenced to prison. Years later he was released and went back to live in the same house. The brothers in
the congregation were warned and avoided preaching at that house.
But there was a brother that desired to visit that house again. He was advised against it, but he insisted and was given permission to visit the house.
The brother figured that time spent in prison had changed the man. So he went to the murderers home. The man was very surprised to see him
and asked him if he knew that he had killed a witness before. The brother said he did know and this surprised the man. He was curious to know
the kind of man capable of knocking on his door so he invited the brother in and a Bible study was started.
The months passed and the truth became clear to the man. He came to know a God capable of forgiving even the most serious sins. His spiritual progress was evident, but at the invitation of attending the Kingdom Hall, the man declined. He said he couldn't go to the Hall if the parents of the young brother he had killed were not able to forgive him also. The brother told him, "It's not necessary.
Jehovah has forgiven you. He doesn't keep account of what you did before you knew the truth." Even so, the man was reluctant to accept the invitation to the Hall. He insisted in needing the forgiveness from the father of the young brother he had killed.
Otherwise he would not go to the Hall. The brother asked him, "Do you really need that? Do you really need the father of the young man to forgive you?"
When the man told him he did, the brother said to him, "Consider yourself forgiven because I am the father of that young man you killed." Today, both are serving in the same congregation and yearn for the day when Jehovah will bring back to life that young man in the resurrection. The discourse concluded shortly after this, showing the value of genuine forgiveness. Certainly that experience touched the hearts of all that heard it. It's difficult, but not impossible, the art of forgiveness.