You asked for it

Serious accidents aren't common in sport, but they sometimes happen. During a fencing match in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, VLADIMIR LAPITSKI was seriously injured near the heart by his opponent, Poland's AMAN ROBACK. However, after several days in hospital, he recovered. It was only an accident.

But at other times, injuries are the result of problems with your opponent: anger, harmful intent, someone who wants to settle a score, etc. It's not too unusual; life is like that all the time. Today, it seems normal to talk about revenge.

In spite of all this, God expects us to act differently. We have no right to give people a "taste of their own medicine"; we mustn't harbour bitterness. And don't say, "I'll never forgive myself for this or that." If God forgives, why don't we? Only fools grow bitter.

In the same way, we must forgive others, even when they don't ask us to. God forgave us when we were incapable of asking, and he still forgives us every day.

Christian forgiveness is not about remorse, saying certain words, or having certain feelings. It's given and received without conditions.

That doesn't mean it's easy, but God himself demands it of us. And when you forgive, you must also forget!

Don't punish yourself or be angry with yourself. Don't punish others, or feel bitter toward them. Learn to forgive and forget. Leave revenge to God, and forgive again and again. That's God's way of doing things.