Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a gift…..that I give myself. Unforgiveness usually turns into bitterness and bitterness destroys me from the inside out. Bitterness makes my heart hard and cold. With bitterness in my heart, it’s difficult to love and allow myself to be loved. When I forgive someone who’s harmed me, I release any power that the harm they inflicted has on me. Forgiveness is a gift that I give myself because I can grow and love deeply without the cancer of bitterness eating away at me.
Jesus was asked about forgiveness and He was very clear. Check this out…
21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! (Matthew 18:21-22 NLT)
The other issue with forgiveness is that God has forgiven me for way more than others have harmed me. I’ve been rebellious against God. I have said things. I have done things. I have thought things. I’ve hurt the Lord too many times to count and He’s forgiven me every time. In fact, I’ve had a hard time forgiving myself for some of my own sin.
Paul sums this up very well in his letter to Ephesus church. Check this out….
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT)
Someone once said: “Bitterness is a deadly pill that I take thinking it will kill the other person”. I want my heart to be tender and shapeable by the Lord. I don’t want to be a crusty, cantankerous, bitter person. I’m thankful that the Lord forgives me. He has never allowed my past to define my future. He expects me to extend the same forgiveness to others. It’s not easy, but it has blessed me more than I can explain.
Pressing On!
Dwayne