Forgiveness

Have you ever been in a situation where someone hurt your feelings really bad and all of these emotions filled up inside-sadness, anger, confusion, etc?

I am assuming we all have had that happen. I bet when that happens to anyone their first reaction is hardly to forgive them. We may sit and dwell on it for a while or wait and see if that person comes up and apologizes first. Sometimes our emotions and hurtness overpower us and that creates a hardened heart. It is okay to be hurt-that's natural-but the longer we dwell on it the more the enemy can use that to take us captive. And as long as we are holding on to that anger, unforgiveness, etc. the more the enemy has control over us.

God wants us to forgive others. He wants us to be free. I just finished the bible study "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore and it is all about being held captive by some thing in your life and breaking free from it. Here is a quote from the study. "A christian is held captive by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God planned for her/him" And it could be a lot of different things (my big one is anxiety). But I do know that a lot of people have a hard time forgiving people.

Some people find it hard to forgive people because in way they are accepting that it is okay for someone to hurt them. And forgiveness doesn't mean that we have to accept that hurt. But we have to accept that the hurt that is leading us to unforgiveness comes from the enemy.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers , against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spirtual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

I can forgive people because of this verse because I know that whatever hurt comes my way I know that it is just part of the battle with the enemy not the human that hurts me. So I have found that I can separate the two.


The more I hold on to unforgiveness the more the enemy wins-the human who hurt me doesn't win. The human probably doesn't even think about it-he's over it all ready. You're not getting back at the person by not forgiving them when they probably don't think about what they have done to you anymore. Your anger, sadness, unforgiveness is only hurting you. It holds you captive. It creates in you a hardened heart. And it may effect others around you.

God's Forgiveness

We have to remember that none of us our perfect. We don't deserve God's forgiveness but He forgives us all the time. We hurt Him on a daily basis. And when we hurt Him he hurts 100 times more then when we are hurt by someone. So think of a time when you were hurt-you are pretty hurt(your heart feels stomped on) and times that by 100 and that is how God feels when we hurt Him. And yet He can forgive us.

I am not perfect at forgiving people right away-I have to pray to God on a daily basis and ask for help. Help to let go of this anger, hurt. "Lord, help me to let go of this (fill in the blank) more and more everyday." I want to be free. I want to live the spirit-filled life God has in store for me. And when I let unforgiveness take control of me I become bitter and angry. And I seriously hate that feeling of being angry.

And if you have been having feelings of unforgiveness for a long time and are out of touch with that person I don't really think that you have to "hunt" that person down but tell God that you forgive that person. And if there is an opportunity to talk to that person-take it.

Questions

Is not forgiving someone taking over your life? Is it making you bitter and creating a hardened heart? If so what is stopping you from forgiveness? Is your unforgiveness effecting the ones around you?

"Lord, help me to forgive (fill in the blank). Create in me a softened heart so I can live a spirit-filled life."