Its funny how everyone wants to be forgiven, but then when it comes to them forgiving someone they say,: “You just don’t know what that person did to me”. No, I probably don’t know and I don’t need to know, but what have you done in your life, who have you hurt, what did you do you shouldn’t have or didn’t do you should have done? Yes, people hurt us. I know I have had my share of people hurting me, but I also know that along life’s journey…I hurt other people too. I also have learned that when I hold grudges and don’t forgive it doesn’t hurt them…it hurts me. It still gives them control over my mind in whatever “it” was. So, I choose to practice forgiveness.
Are you involved in practicing forgiveness? What is your attitude toward forgiving people, even a person who greatly hurt you? Sometimes it is harder to forgive someone than to ask for forgiveness. First of all, repentance must precede forgiveness. To be able to forgive others we need to understand just how much Jesus forgave and forgives us. Matthew 6:14, 15 “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Whoa! That’s heavy! Read that several times. But what about the person who destroyed your family? What about the person who raped you? What about the person who did “whatever”. Forgive them? Then think what you have done in your life and ask yourself if you deserve to be forgiven? By whom? Did they forgive you? Many…no, but a few might. However, the harder we hold onto hatred and unforgiveness the more it consumes us. I, for one, am so thankful to God for forgiving me my past sins. I surely didn’t deserve it, but He chose to forgive me, and He will forgive you as well.
Sometimes you can’t go to someone (for many reasons) to ask for forgiveness. Life happens, and sometimes it is in no ones best interest to go and stir the pot…but we can choose in our heart to forgive. Where you can make amends do, but there are times it just isn’t possible.
Marriage can, at times, bring great tension into a marriage. However, didn’t you make a commitment to love them? Did that commitment mean anything? No, I don’t know what Goes on in another’s marriage, not really, but God does. God doesn’t want anyone to be living in abuse, but even that can be forgiven…however, it doesn’t mean you have to live in that situation. I’ve said it a 1000 times…the grass is not greener elsewhere! Might be for a season, but work on what you have is what you know in your heart is right and what God wants. We are all “jerks” at times. We need to learn how to forgive and live in peace. Saying, “I’m sorry” is a great gift. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:32). We should make every effort to forgive as God has forgiven us. We also need to understand that if we want to be forgiven then it depends on our forgiving others as God has forgiven us. So what happens is you choose to forgive someone/or many for their actions…now let it go. Stop harping on it and bringing it to your mind. Forget it and really let it go. You know when you have forgiven someone you won’t wish them harm any longer, you won’t let it take up your mind…you will really let it go and move forward. If it does come to mind then tell your mind you already dealt with that and you forgave them….and let it go. Do that until your mind lets it go as well. Forgive as God forgives, forget. I know I am blessed beyond words knowing and understanding what God has done for me in forgiving me. I know God has been there when I chose to forgive those who hurt me, or when I asked God to also forgive anyone who hurt me in any way. No one can change their past ever! Whatever each of us went through our fault, or the fault of someone else…let it go! You can’t change the past! Won’t you come back to the Father who is waiting for you to return to Him. Confess your sins and repent/change direction. Choose to forgive anyone and everyone who hurt you, said an unkind word, physically hurt you or a loved one. Don’t let people hold hatred in your mind. No, it is not easy, but it sure is necessary. Family is a tough one. Many families have pain so deep within they think they can never let it go. But do you want to be forgiven…let it go. How many families every time anyone gets together they think they have to remind someone of their failures? (we all fail and fall short). I can’t make anyone forgive me for anything I ever did. You can’t make anyone forgive you for anything you ever did. So, we best be doing it God’s way. His way is the right way. If you hurt me ever…I forgive you. If I hurt you I am truly sorry. I am not the same person I once was. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I don’t want to hold grudges, and I sure don’t want anything bad to happen to you. You can forgive me or hold onto your pain…but you aren’t going to make me hold onto my pain from what I did…for God has forgiven me.
I choose to forgive because my Lord said to forgive. Do you choose to forgive as well? We can’t make that choice for anyone else…only ourself. Now, may the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, teach you, and give you His peace. Don’t let hatred rule your soul…get it cleansed today!