Bible Question (short): Confronting forgiveness |
Question (full): As a new christian day by day, I am trying to study the scriptures to find answers to a lot of my personal problems. Past times caught me dealing with problems by letting my emotions(anger) control my reactions. I have had a rude awakening regarding this major issue. I am struggling everyday by praying for a deeper spiritual life. Anger is not the way to deal with everything. A few years back, my elderly mother and I moved into a small apartment complex. One day a neighbor who we did not know knocked on our door to tell us that he heard "my little nephew was playing in some water outside and the management was going to evict us and make us pay for the water). Lo and behold this neighbor tells (snitches) the management things about other neighbors in the complex. I said very little to him at the door and just closed it. I wrote a letter to the manangement and vented anger about the neighbor. From that time on, I never spoke to him. He knew he was in the wrong, and tried relentlessly to speak and be friendly. I held firm, because of anger and hurt feelings. According to the scriptures "We must love our neighbors as we do ourselves". Also, we must forgive as we seek forgiveness. The Holy spirit has been dealing with me,and I have began to speak to him and be friendlier. What I want to know is, do I need to go to him face to face and ask forsgiveness. I know I have forgiven him in my heart, but I remember reading some scripture about this matter and can't find it.I think it says " Go to your neighbor and ask forgiveness"? Can someone help me? |