What is true freedom? Some would say, “It’s the ability to do whatever you want whenever you want.” That’s certainly a kind of freedom, but it’s one which ultimately leads to bondage. Living in that way, we become controlled by our desires.
There is another, more enduring, type of freedom. It comes through self-discipline, calming our mind, controlling our reactions to things, and accepting that everything in our life comes from God. This kind of freedom brings inner peace, and calm acceptance of whatever comes. Self-control frees us from sense compulsion, and from the ceaseless fluctuations of the restless mind. We become masters of ourselves.
Another key to finding inner freedom is the practice of forgiveness. We have no control over the behavior of others. Holding onto past hurts and grievances only strengthens the false thought that we are subject to the ceaseless fluctuations of an inimical universe. Forgiveness is an act of both divine courage and love. It affirms our strength, and our ability to react positively even in adversity.
“Yes,” we may think, “I want to love everyone, but if you only knew what she did to me—I just can’t forgive her for that.” With this kind of thinking, we reduce in our mind the vast field of God-awareness into mere patches of brambles and thorns. To forgive others reminds us that beyond the joys and sorrows of this world, our true life is in God.
In her book The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom tells a remarkable story of forgiveness. She, her father, and her sister Betsie were resistance workers against the Nazis in Holland during World War II. Though not themselves Jewish, they hid many Jews in their home and helped them to escape. Corrie and her family were eventually arrested and sent to a concentration camp, where her sister and father perished.
Corrie survived and later began a global ministry, sharing the teachings of Christ throughout the world. She tells this dramatic story:
It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower door in the processing center at Ravensbrück. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there—the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie’s pain-blanched face.
He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. “How grateful I am for your message, Fräulein,” he said. “To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”
His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.
Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.
I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness.
As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.
And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on his. When he tells us to love our enemies, he gives, along with the command, the love itself.
The past two weeks, Jyotish and I offered you two practices to follow during this holy season: 1) to feel God’s love flowing through you constantly throughout the day; and 2) to accept willingly whatever is given to you as yours to do.
Now in this third week of Advent—the month before Christmas—we offer you another suggestion. Follow these words of Swami Kriyananda: “Claim your soul’s freedom! Bless all who ever harmed you, or ever wished you harm. Give them your love, and your prayer for their freedom in God.”
May you, like Corrie, feel God’s love flowing through you as you forgive others. May each one of us place our little candle on the divine altar of forgiveness, whose light can heal and bless the world.
Wishing you blessings in this holy season,
Nayaswami Devi
Listen to Devi as she reads the blog, then expands on it, often adding special behind-the-inspiration stories and answers to common spiritual questions. Subscribe to the podcast or download the audio recording by right-clicking here. Or listen to it here (11:14):
23 Comments
Thank you for your inspiring messages. The are overwhelming full of compassion and tearful for the eyes. May God bless me to live up to these messgages. 🙏🏻🌹🙏🏻❤️
Thank you so much for this message and story. It was what I needed to read and think about!
Thank you for this message of liberation.
Beautiful message Deviji,
Soul’s freedom, we free our soul from the burden of our own bondages, and rest in him, then the paramatma sets us free, is the promise of the blessed lord in the Bhagawat Gita and the Bible.
Thank you for message . Brought tears to my eyes . May I remember to forgive and love all with the love of Our beloved one . Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New year . Joy love blessings to you all
This ten Boom story is one of my all-time favorites. Thank you for reincarnating it. Thank you for this timely blog in a holiday season that’s all about divine love – of which forgiveness is a perfect expression.
Thank you so much, Devi, it’s really touching. Blessings
thank you for this story, forgiven a person who hurts me I forgive with my heart and in my prayers if it is not
possible to do this personal.
in Joy, Gyandevi.
Thank you. That was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. I’m currently memorizing Whispers 182, and that story of Corrie has inspired me to tune into it more.
Thanks a lot , Devi, for this wonderful message. It’s a very inspiring story of Corrie. It’s very true that forgiveness gives us freedom from our burdens which we carries from many past lives, Merry Christmas to all my wonderful family and best wishes for the year.
The most difficult lesson is forgiveness because it is a process that evolves over time when we let go of our hurt and hate and let God be the judge. Then true forgiveness is freedom when love flows easily toward the person who hurt us. I keep working on it and feel overtime less bound by it. Thank you Deviji, I never get tired of this story.
Dear friend, I am speechless in considering the implications of the enormity of loving God and Christ so much that forgiveness of everything IS possible. I will work on this. As I finished the blog, I felt a shiver come through me at the thought of complete forgiveness to all who have harmed me or meant me harm. It is almost an overwhelming thought. I can see and feel however, the complete Freedom that this gift of God offers to us. In Divine Gratitude, Namaste
Thank you Devi for your moving, inspiring and blessed message. It took me many years to completely forgive the people I perceived to do me harm; for I realized that they did the best they know how at the time. I was able to forgive myself, too for not knowing better all these years. May we all find liberation and joy in forgiveness. With deep gratitude. mc🕉☮️💟
Thank you, Devi, for the story which you have shared with us. It has helped me to remember that if I cannot forgive someone I can call on God’s help to do this. I can also call on God to help me to forgive myself for my thoughtless and stupid acts.
Timely words of a timeless message. Thanks for sharing, Devi 💙
Thank you Devi ji for this wonderful messege about forgiveness. When we forgive someone Christ’s love and affection flows through us to the other. We are also relieved from burden of painful thought of past incident.
Aum Guru.
Dear Nayaswami Devi Ji,
Thank you for this wonderful blog. How inspiring it is to read.
And thank you for the guideline and the reminder. Much needed :-)
Joy,
Prem
Is there a way of learning Kri Yoga? I am 91 now and need to find rides to reach Ananda. Is there any one that could teach me in Nevada City? I would appreciate your guidance at this major time of my life. In gratitude and love, Helen
Dear Helen,
It is wonderful that you are wanting to learn Kriya Yoga at this time in your life. My name is Devalila and I serve with the Ananda Kriya Sangha here at Ananda Village. Please e-mail me at devalila@ananda.org and I can help guide you in this training.
In joy and blessings, Devalila
Thank you Devi for this very poignant story that shows us especially the nature of it all and the hope that we can have.
Thank you for showing us God’s love and forgiveness.
Nicole
“May each one of us place our little candle on the divine altar of forgiveness, whose light can heal and bless the world.”
Oh Dear one, the world so needs this act to be performed in every home and heart.
Bless you and Jyotish!
“Forgiveness cannot change your past, but it can certainly change your future.”
Inspiring story about the SS guard and Corrie. The realisation that God sends us the love along with the command to forgive is heartwarming and full of hope. Thank you so much for sharing.