Read - John 20My Key Verse - John 20:23 "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?"
My Reflection - This is something I've been dealing with for the past six months. I had a conversation with God about this the other day. In a nut shell He said forgiving them doesn't admit they are right.
That has been my sticking point in forgiving. I felt that forgiving them would be admitting that I was wrong. Part of me is tired of people hurting people and then sticking their hand out and saying "I'm so sorry I hurt you." Sometimes I'm really good about doing that with my wife.
Forgiveness doesn't mean they are off the hook with God and it doesn't mean that what they did is not wrong. Forgiveness is a state of walking in the freedom that God grants us.
I so liked though how Jesus put it there at the end of the verse. "If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?" Come on Jesus preach it to me. Am I going to keep them on my trophy shelf of wounds? My wall of hurt? Am I going to walk around with this cloud of gloom over my head so proud of all the unforgiveness I have?
Really what are we going to do with them? Me...I'm going to let them go and give them to God.
My Prayer - Lord help me to let go of the hurts of the past. Help me to not hold my life back by holding on to these issues. Thank you for forgiving me.
4 comments:
"Forgiveness is a state of walking in the freedom that God grants us."
I like that!
However, Forgiveness doens't mean you automatically trust that person again. I was taught to forgive and forget. Well forgetting isn't always easy especially when the same pain has been inflicted time and time again. I just don't seek revenge, my Father will take care of the justice or hopefully reconcilation.
I agree db...forgiveness is hard cause we do remember especially when something hits us really hard.
I used to think of forgiveness as something pardoned to another person. A way to make the other person feel better. God has really shown me that forgiveness is more for me than the other person. Not forgiving binds up our life...our thoughts. It truly is freedom and it is a gift given to us by God. A gift to us not, just the other people. When we forgive we receive the greatest gift.
Dawn...well put
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