Dear Reader,
God has impressed upon me to write about the topic of forgiveness. But not just any kind of forgiveness – it’s the kind that no one is willing to do. It’s the forgiveness that hurts sometimes just as much as the original offense. The topic makes me squirm because I know one of my biggest flaws is my tendency toward bitterness and resentful nature.
I confess – sometimes I like my bitterness. I can hold it and mull over it. It soothes me. It says, “It’s ok to be jaded; just look at all that you’ve gone through!” My unforgiving nature allows me to withdraw to that contented dark corner where no one can bother me. But this is not what God calls us to do.
One of the most convicting things I heard recently was on this topic. It was based on Matthew 6:14-15: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” If God forgives us unconditionally and immediately and then throws our sin as far as the east is to the west, who am I to not forgive? Why should a just God, who said that the wages of sin is death, forgive me of my rebellion if I am not willing to forgive my brothers and sisters who have offended me?
If God calls us to forgive, then why don’t we always do it? I believe the Deceiver hides it from us. He will cover it up through our culture who tells us that revenge is acceptable, that concealing your bitterness will make it go away, or that we should cover it up with the busyness of life. Don’t listen to him! I can testify that, if we allow it, the Holy Spirit will continue to nudge us away from that corner, toward the light, and then will guide us to freedom from the bondage of bitterness.
Friends, I urge you to seek true reconciliation. Let the light of God show you that the chains of past hurts can be a lockdown, preventing us from doing what God desires of us. Reach out and drink in the feeling of freedom from bondage! Wake up in the morning and joyfully say, “Lord, I am truly free!” And then ask God, in your renewed freedom, how He can use you to further the Kingdom of God here on earth.
Be blessed, so that you may go out and bless others,
~Sara
I have experienced the same difficulties with unforgiveness. Forgiveness is sometimes easy to say, but not so easy to carry out. We hang onto old resentments hoping to avenge our hurts. We need to realize revenge is Gods' job, not ours.
ReplyDeleteMeditating on how the Lord has forgiven us and how He loved us enough to die for us, it makes our unforgiveness seem pointless and petty.
Prayer is an essential part of forgiveness. telling the Lord of our hurts and pain then asking for help to forgive