South Sudan: Personal Forgiveness and National Reconciliation is Imperative in 2015 (Part 1)
4 min readPersonal Forgiveness and National Reconciliation is very Important in 2015 in the Republic of South Sudan
By Daniel Machar Dhieu, Juba
January 2, 2015 (SSB) — First and foremost, I am wishing all South Sudanese happy New Year both within and outside South Sudan, as we are celebrating New Year after conclusion of 2014 the outgoing year, then there is need to consider these two related words “forgiveness and reconciliation” as the only option to heal the wound that is indicted to us by politicians we already experience the cost of this baseless war across the country especially in greater Upper-Nile.
We need to forgive ourselves as reach this year successfully. What does forgiveness stand for? To forgive means to restore a bond of love and communion when there has been a rupture. Sin ruptures our relationship with God and others, as also do offenses taken and given among people.
When the bond is broken with other people, we tend to objectify them and judge them, not seeing them as persons, but only as objects of our anger and hurt. This is our sinful reaction. We categorize people in terms of their transgression against us. The longer we nurture the anger and alienation, the more deeply the resentment takes hold in our heart, and the more it feeds on our soul. Resentment is a cancer that will destroy us if we don’t forgive! It also leaks out and damages our relations with others when we slander and gossip about those who have offended us and try to draw others to our own side.
Of course, no one should want to hear such things but am trying my best to emphases on every citizen despite of their status of religious and political arena to dearly accept the ideal of forgiveness and reconciliation. Am well informed about our nation South Sudan on trauma game and jealous policy which are not so developmental to our people, this has been caused of tribal crisis in the nation.
Forgiveness means overlooking the sin or transgression, and restoring a bond of love. It does not mean justifying the offensive action or accepting it as right, nor does it mean justifying one’s own anger or sinful reaction. Forgiveness means laying aside our judgments of the other person and our own sinful reactions, and accepting others for who they are.
God’s forgiveness of us and our sins against Him is unconditional and absolute. God does not reject us, objectify us, or bear anger or resentment against us. I think our projections onto God of our own issues and judgments against ourselves when we go wrong. God does not punish us. Rather, by alienating ourselves from God, we punish ourselves and ascribe this punishment to Him.
We turn in on ourselves in anger and self-hatred, and thus shatter our personhood, cutting ourselves off from His love. However, South Sudan was actually hamper by stories of evil practice but God forgive us only to restore peace in our country and gave full independent that we are enjoying now.
By asking God for forgiveness, we open ourselves to His love and acceptance, His grace and compassion. These were there already, but we neglected them. By confessing our sins, we surrender these areas of our lives where we have justified our self-alienation from God. Repentance means not only turning away from sin, but also turning to God. Judas was remorseful for his sin but hanged himself. We need not only to be remorseful, but also to open ourselves to God.
We have to make sure that our country is totally free from evil practicing and sincerely allows Almighty to take over His people. Forgiveness is more vital than anything. It is very importance to forget whatever we did wrong to ourselves and turn to new page.
If we forgive someone, we need to be open to reconciliation, if possible. Reconciliation is forgiveness in action the actual restoration of the interpersonal bond between two people, in mutual acceptance of each other for who each one is. For instance we have to reconcile ourselves as people of South Sudan in-order to be living in peaceful situation as we reach 2015 environment.
We need to throw out our differences and sincerely agree to lives as one people and one nation as president Kiir always found of this point this what reconciliation mean.
The writer is an independence Journalist and Student at South Sudan Christian University Juba (Gudele Main Compass); You can reach him through machardhieu@gmail.com
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