The path to happiness is forgiveness of everyone and gratitude for everything. When we hold resentment toward another, we are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and set us and the other party free like what happens in the following story inspired by the writings of unknown writer.


As the story goes, there was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm.  He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.

As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved!


In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his sister watching! Sally 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 did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.'  Sally just smiled and said, 'Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help.'  She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?' So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer.

He came to Grandma and confessed 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 make a slave of you.'

Thought for the day and every day thereafter?

Whatever is in our past, whatever  we have done... and the devil keeps throwing it up in our face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.) ..whatever it is...we need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.

 

He has seen our whole life. He wants us to know that He loves us and that we are forgiven. He's just wondering how long we will let the devil make a slave of us.

The great thing about God is that when we ask for forgiveness; He not only forgives us, but He forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.


Go ahead and make the difference in someone's life today. Share this with a friend and always  remember:  God is at the window!

By Tim Pedrosa

Being gentle means forgiving yourself when you mess up. We should learn from our mistakes, but we shouldn't beat the tar out of ourselves over them. The past is just that, past. Learn what went wrong and why. Make amends if you need to. Then drop it and move on. -Sean Covey 12

 

Tim