So lately I have been thinking about forgiveness and unforgiveness.What does it really mean to forgiveness? I don't want to harbour unforgiveness in my heart because unforgiveness only causes stagnation in our lives and stands in the way of our relationship with God.
Forgiveness is required of us even when the person who we need to forgive does not acknowledge that they have wronged us.
Often the people who hurt us and who need us to forgive are those closest to us, and who we hold dear. Regardless of who may have wronged you, you need to forgive because living in unforgiveness hinders our growth and progression.
In Matthew 18 vs 22 , Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus said to him, I say not to you, Until seven times, but Until seventy times seven.
Jesus speaks to us in this verse and commands us to forgive 70 times 7 times. Let's think about what this really means. Even the one person who annoys us or even offends us the most could not possible need forgiveness 490 times a day, therefore this would mean that as we go about our daily lives, we are required to forgive every single person who does wrong to us. EVERY ONE.
So while dealing with some issues where people who are very close to me hurt me very badly, God spoke to me about my difficulties with forgiveness. You see, God is in the business of refining people. He wants us to be the very best that he created us to be therefore God will constantly reveal to you areas of your life that require attention.
One of my areas that requires attention is that I struggle to forgive when someone as not acknowledged that they hurt me. I even sometimes hold on to unforgiveness as a way of control. It is a lie from the pit of hell if you think that holding on to anger and past hurt gives you control over the person that inflicted pain on you. It is a lie from the devil if you think that the "hurt" is too big to forgive or that because the person who hurt you is too close to you i.e Father, Mother, Brother etc they don't deserve your forgiveness. The devil lies to us in order to keep us in bondage because when we are in bondage, it kills other areas of our lives that God wants to bring light and victory to. The devil will keep you in darkness for as long as possible in order to stop you from seeing God's light therefore we need to break free.
So recently I asked God to teach me how to forgive the way that he forgives me, to show me the relationships that require my forgiveness and to teach me how to forgive the way that he wants me to. Forgiveness should be on God's term and not on our terms.
One of my areas that requires attention is that I struggle to forgive when someone as not acknowledged that they hurt me. I even sometimes hold on to unforgiveness as a way of control. It is a lie from the pit of hell if you think that holding on to anger and past hurt gives you control over the person that inflicted pain on you. It is a lie from the devil if you think that the "hurt" is too big to forgive or that because the person who hurt you is too close to you i.e Father, Mother, Brother etc they don't deserve your forgiveness. The devil lies to us in order to keep us in bondage because when we are in bondage, it kills other areas of our lives that God wants to bring light and victory to. The devil will keep you in darkness for as long as possible in order to stop you from seeing God's light therefore we need to break free.
So recently I asked God to teach me how to forgive the way that he forgives me, to show me the relationships that require my forgiveness and to teach me how to forgive the way that he wants me to. Forgiveness should be on God's term and not on our terms.
Forgiveness is an act of "Self Management". When you forgive someone who hurt you, regardless of whether they acknowledge it or not or asked you to forgive them or not, its a act of self management. You are managing and controlling yourself, you are taking ownership of your emotions. Maturity is getting to a point where you realise that you cannot control other peoples reactions, you cannot manage other peoples, their reactions nor opinions. You are only in control of yourself and you have to excess self control and manage YOU.
So as hard as it may be sometimes to let go of past hurts, by forgiving those who have wronged and hurt us, we are not only setting ourselves free but we are also obeying a commandment from the most high God and walking in freedom because Forgiveness is Freedom.
So forgive your mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, nephew, aunt or uncle, husband or wife. Who ever may have hurt you yesterday, today, last month or last year, no matter how long you have been harbouring unforgiveness in your heart, its never too late to let go and forgive Today.
Take it one day at a time, ask God to come into your heart and teach you how. Ask your advocate the Holy Spirit to show you how.
When you truly forgive, your heart will be set free and you will be able to hear that person's name, see that person and feel nothing. Infact you will love them, even if its from a distance and you will wish them no harm.
<BLESSINGS>
So forgive your mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, nephew, aunt or uncle, husband or wife. Who ever may have hurt you yesterday, today, last month or last year, no matter how long you have been harbouring unforgiveness in your heart, its never too late to let go and forgive Today.
Take it one day at a time, ask God to come into your heart and teach you how. Ask your advocate the Holy Spirit to show you how.
When you truly forgive, your heart will be set free and you will be able to hear that person's name, see that person and feel nothing. Infact you will love them, even if its from a distance and you will wish them no harm.
<BLESSINGS>
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