The Power of Now Journal-Forgiveness

The Power of Now

Featured Image: David Ridge

A Journal Book by Eckhart Tolle

Through forgiveness, which essentially means recognizing the insubstantiality of the past and allowing the present moment to be as it is, the miracle of transformation happens not only within but also without.

Eckhart Tolle

My wife, Eileen, gifted me with a journal. “The Power of Now Journal” is a book by Eckhart Tolle that contains carefully chosen, inspiring quotes from his masterpiece, “The Power of Now.” The journal is a brilliant resource for finding calm and presence and is the perfect companion to the world’s best-loved spiritual guide. It has beautiful illustrations and Eckhart Tolle’s inspiring text.

The journal allowed me to read Eckart Tolle’s quotes and then to journalize my thoughts resulting from these quotes. I share these, my thoughts, on Eckhart’s quotes:

February 18 2023

I had never realized the importance and effectiveness of forgiveness until I became a missionary.

The start of my work was in prisons as a licensed minister. I not only worked in the prison but also ran an aftercare center housing on average 22 ex-offenders.

There were several common factors among these folks. Apart from the fact that the majority were substance abusers, there were many with deep rooted anger and bitterness issues.

One day I read a scripture from the gospel according to Matthew chapter 6 verse 15. If you do not forgive God will not forgive you.

No matter how much I taught on this scripture it did not seem to get through to those I was teaching, possibly because I saw the scripture in the light of ‘forgive or else!’

Years later as my relationship with God grew I felt strongly that the ‘do or else’ was not the true nature of God. When I began to read the works of Wallace Wattles, James Allen and many others I began to see God in a new light. It goes like this:

We are all created a three part being. Body mind and spirit. No human can be seen in any light other than three parts that are indissoluble.

In considering the actions of any of our fellow humans we have to consider these actions as coming from three parts that constitute one whole.

If you wrong me it could be against my body, mind or spirit. If not all then part/s of these three. If you use physical force you hurt my body and mind. If you steal from me you touch my mind and depending on the circumstances my body as well. If you curse me me you touch my mind and spirit. When you have hurt someone in any of these three you need to ask for forgiveness. If you don’t they suffer from bitterness and without knowing it, you suffer also. The moment you forgive the chain breaks and you are both set free. It’s not a matter of God not wanting to forgive you; you can’t forgive yourself until you forgive first.

“…which essentially means recognizing the insubstantiality of the past and allowing the present moment to be as it is.” In recognizing the insubstantially of the past, I forgive you for hurting me and I am forgiven for hurting you by not wanting to forgive you.