Welcome back! I am so glad you decided to stop by! Today I want to talk about forgiveness.
What is forgiveness? In its simplest form, forgiveness is the canceling of debt. When we forgive, we cancel the debt that is owed to us. Some people may say, “Why would I want to do that?” I am here to let you know that forgiveness is not for the person who owes you something, it is actually for YOU! Now I know what you are thinking… probably something like, “If I cancel what they owe me, then how will I ever be paid?” The fact that you are asking that question, proves my point of how it will benefit YOU to forgive the debt.
Please bear with me as I try to explain this. Let’s say that you loaned someone some money and they have failed to pay you back even though you know they have the money to do so. Perhaps they forgot, or they just never intended to pay you back. Whatever the reason, I can guarantee you that they are not losing any sleep over it. On the other hand, you are probably lying awake at night thinking about what they owe you. You feel your anger rising every time you see them and they act like nothing is wrong. Now tell me, WHO is this hurting? YOU!
When you forgive, you release yourself from the anxiety and anger that can come with waiting for someone to pay you the debt that is owed. Sometimes debt can be a simple apology. You may be waiting for someone to apologize for wronging you in some way. Many times, the person in the wrong may not know the error of their ways, and you are left holding a grudge. Once again, they are not losing sleep, while you are growing more and more angry by the minute! Them if you let them know about the error they made, you don’t want to accept their apology because you do not believe it is sincere, simply because you had to prompt them to apologize. The debt has been paid, but you are feeling short-changed and the only relief will be forgiveness because you still feel like they owe you something.
When we fail to forgive, even for little things, we start to grow bitterness in our heart. As the bitterness grows, anger becomes a common response to any negative experience. Bitterness and anger can move you even farther away from the love of God. In addition, the bible tells us that if we do not forgive the trespasses of others, then God will not forgive OUR trespasses. This can cause us to miss out on the gift of forgiveness that will keep us from spending eternity in the Lake of Fire.
The next question you may be asking is, “How do I forgive?” Have you ever heard of the saying, “Let go and let God!?” If you struggle to forgive, you need to surrender it all to God and He will help you. Pray and ask God to help you forgive. Pray and ask God to remove the symptoms of unforgiveness. Pray and ask God to help you identify areas in your life that have a root of bitterness attached to them. Pray and ask God to help you remove that root and replace it with forgiveness and love. Once you ask God to take it all away, be sure not to take it back from Him by falling into the same old trap, or falling for the same old tricks of the enemy. Once you let it go, let God do what He does best, enrich your life with grace and mercy. He is able and willing to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all you can ask or think, according to the power that works in YOU, the BETTER YOU!
There is a lot more I could say about forgiveness, but I will save some for another time. However, if you want to learn more, you can also join me at Faithful and True Christian Ministries (FTCM) on Tuesdays at 7 pm or Sundays at 10 am. The address is 6760 Tussing Road, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. At FTCM, you can get your questions answered, so come on out and learn more about Jesus and how forgiveness can be beneficial for your soul. We promise to be Faithful and True witnesses to this dying world.
Until we meet again, I pray blessings for your life!
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