20 Years 20 Lessons - Lesson 4 - Forgiveness is for You
I don’t think much else compares to crucifying the flesh like forgiving someone you “think” does not deserve to be forgiven. I know I am not the only one that has been left feeling paralyzed after being done wrong by someone else. Whether it was being betrayed, assaulted, verbally abused, stabbed in the back or something worse - we are still expected to forgive. The bible says so.
How? Honestly knowing the how to doesn’t make forgiving any easier. I don’t think Jesus’ death on the cross was easy for Him simply because it was the only way we could all receive forgiveness of our sins. It was something that needed to be done. Pay attention...it needed to be done. Jesus didn’t have to. We don’t have to forgive. We need to forgive.
Maybe...just maybe...God instructs us in His Word to forgive or we cannot be forgiven so we can grasp - how ever so slight - the brutal truth of what Jesus did for us.
I have been in a place of such anger - an anger that came from a result of betrayal - that I could not fathom forgiving the people involved. In fact the prayers that I prayed concerning that situation were anything but godly. They were so evil I had to repent for them.
What did I do? I went to pastors/counselors/friends that were not connected to the situation. They did not have a biased opinion so therefore they could give me good godly advice. I asked them to pray for my hard heart. I asked them to pray about the situation. I fought with God every day. I started asking God to show me His love for them. I knew that unforgiveness, if left untreated. would grow darkness in my heart. It would affect my ministry, my relationships and most importantly my relationship with God. He answered my prayer.
He spoke to my heart, that if they could not be forgiven and have a chance at redemption, then neither could I. (This was the lesson I learned.)
Because the Word says that Jesus died for ALL. Them, me, the whole world! Once I began to change my perspective to the fact that they were a sinner that needed forgiveness just like I was, it became easier to forgive them. They never acknowledged what they did was wrong, they continued to make excuses for it, but I forgave them anyway. Because Jesus has forgiven me.
Once I finally forgave them, I felt freedom in my Spirit. The darkness supernaturally went away and it was replaced with sincere love. If you truly want to be able to forgive...you can. God says to knock and the door will be opened unto you. He will not withhold giving you the ability to forgive someone if you really want to. And you should want to...simply because of what Jesus has done for you.
Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
How? Honestly knowing the how to doesn’t make forgiving any easier. I don’t think Jesus’ death on the cross was easy for Him simply because it was the only way we could all receive forgiveness of our sins. It was something that needed to be done. Pay attention...it needed to be done. Jesus didn’t have to. We don’t have to forgive. We need to forgive.
Maybe...just maybe...God instructs us in His Word to forgive or we cannot be forgiven so we can grasp - how ever so slight - the brutal truth of what Jesus did for us.
I have been in a place of such anger - an anger that came from a result of betrayal - that I could not fathom forgiving the people involved. In fact the prayers that I prayed concerning that situation were anything but godly. They were so evil I had to repent for them.
What did I do? I went to pastors/counselors/friends that were not connected to the situation. They did not have a biased opinion so therefore they could give me good godly advice. I asked them to pray for my hard heart. I asked them to pray about the situation. I fought with God every day. I started asking God to show me His love for them. I knew that unforgiveness, if left untreated. would grow darkness in my heart. It would affect my ministry, my relationships and most importantly my relationship with God. He answered my prayer.
He spoke to my heart, that if they could not be forgiven and have a chance at redemption, then neither could I. (This was the lesson I learned.)
Because the Word says that Jesus died for ALL. Them, me, the whole world! Once I began to change my perspective to the fact that they were a sinner that needed forgiveness just like I was, it became easier to forgive them. They never acknowledged what they did was wrong, they continued to make excuses for it, but I forgave them anyway. Because Jesus has forgiven me.
Once I finally forgave them, I felt freedom in my Spirit. The darkness supernaturally went away and it was replaced with sincere love. If you truly want to be able to forgive...you can. God says to knock and the door will be opened unto you. He will not withhold giving you the ability to forgive someone if you really want to. And you should want to...simply because of what Jesus has done for you.
Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
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