Forgiveness: Not An Occasional Act

Forgiveness.  What does it mean, and why is it so important that when someone hurts us, we forgive them? Forgiveness is the act of letting go of an offence. In the Bible, the Greek word for forgiveness translates to letting go. But why is that so important? Well for one thing as we know, God calls us to forgive.
Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort. Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ. (Ephesians 4:31-32)

If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done. (Matthew 6:14-15)

But what if that person does not accept that you have forgiven him. While that is sad, but what it does for you is free you from bitterness and anger that builds up into your very spirit.We can forgive someone hurting us, even if the other person does not acknowledge it. It brings healing to us. Unforgiveness can bring on health problems to our bodies. Proverbs 17:22 says it this way:  A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. 

There have been people in my past that I have had to learn to forgive. And in fact, my mother was one of those people. I held a lot of hurt towards her for years. And then one day I heard a Christian Phycologist on a radio talk program who made this statement:  We forgive others because Christ first forgave us. (not a quote) That coupled with a book that he had written about forgiveness helped me understand my mother more clearly and I was able to forgive her. But having to forgive people did not stop with her. There have been others and to this day I am having to forgive people. Is it easy? Absolutely not. But it is possible because Isahia 43:16 says that God will make a way when there seems to be no way. Now, that is not talking about forgiveness per say. However, I believe that it pertains to it just the same. If he asks us to forgive people he is going to make a way when to us it seems impossible. 

Is there someone you need to forgive? Seek God and he will help you do just that. He wants us to be free from bitterness and the anxiety that unforgiveness produces in us. Ask him today to forgive you. That is where you begin. Because, if we do not forgive others, he will not forgive us. 

Thought for the day:

                                                 

Joke of the day:



Friends, thanks for coming by and I hope you will come back soon!
Have a blessed day and be sure to bless someone else!