And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise (Luke 6:31).
The forgiveness of others is the vestibule of Heaven. You have to get rid of all resentment and condemnation of others, and, not least, of self-condemnation and remorse. You have to forgive yourself, but you cannot forgive yourself sincerely until you have forgiven others first.
Of course, nothing in all the world is easier than to forgive people who have not hurt us very much. But what the Law of Being requires of us is that we forgive the very things that are so hard to forgive that at first it seems impossible to do it at all. But the Lord’s Prayer makes our own escape from guilt and limitation dependent upon just this very thing.
If your prayers are not being answered, search your consciousness and see if there is not some old circumstance about which you are still resentful. Search and see if you are not really holding a grudge against some individual, or some group. If so, then you have an act of forgiveness to perform, and when this is done, you will probably make your demonstration. If you cannot forgive at present, you will have to wait for your demonstration until you can, and you will have to postpone finishing your recital of the Lord’s Prayer too.
Forgiveness is not debatable. Forgiveness is not conditional. Forgiveness is not earned nor is it bought. If any of these were true, we could never be forgiven by God. Yet God does forgive all things when asked by a repentant sinner. What is required is that we forgive ourselves and others in order to receive God’s forgiveness. We also must forgive if we are to be free from that which offended us in the first place. We are the prisoners of our own anger and judgement. When we release that which hurt or angers us through forgiveness, we break the chains that bind us to our anger and hurt. When we remove the heavy yoke of judgement and condemnation, and take on the light yoke, which is obedience to God’s will, we set ourselves free to live in the Eden God created for us.
Unlocking the chains,
Z gardener
Good Morning Garden 
I wonder why few comment on the intensely spiritual?
The teaching you’ve shared on The Lord’s Prayer is phenomenal. Heaven is indeed discussing you Z. 🙂
It is a blessing to hear from you again.
Except in religious settings, our society discourages spiritual discussion. Also, discussing our spirituality is intensely personal and goes to root of our deepest dreams, vulnerabilities and fears. Most are just too reserved to expose these areas to scrutiny or discussion.
Also, the evil one uses our insecurities, vanity, pride and ego to alienate us from each other and God by playing on our fear of rejection or ridicule.
How much better we would all be if we realized that all true peace and fulfillment lies within the realm of the spiritual?
Thank you for visiting the Garden and please feel free to share it with anyone. Your kind remarks have shone heaven’s light on the author today, and is his prayer that heaven find you here and embrace you forever.
Peace,
Z