Forgiveness…..Really?!?!
March 14, 2012 2 Comments
Why is it we feel what is done to us is worse than the sins we commit against God and others? The truth is forgiveness is hard. It is hard because we allow our emotions to control our reaction. When we are hurt deeply by those in whom we have placed great trust or care it is difficult to let it go. Our emotions are hard to control. Scripture says, “Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath.” In another place Jesus said if you brought your gift to the alter and your brother had a problem with you then go to the brother and make the problem right before you worship. Again God tells us if we won’t forgive we can’t be forgiven. This is serious stuff! No doubt our Father intends we forgive one another. Yet, immediately several questions come to my mind.
- How do I forgive those who continue to sin against me? Have you ever found yourself in this situation? For me this poses a real problem. I want to forgive and go on with my life but sometimes others continue to do and say things that cause deep hurts. When this happens it is hard to control our emotions. I can’t speak for everyone but for me the temptation is to deliver an “eye for an eye.”
- How do I forgive those who show no remorse? It is hard to forgive someone who wraps themselves up in selfishness and arrogance. If there is no repentance, no remorse it is difficult to forgive those who have sinned against us.
- How do I forgive if the sin is so terrible that it changed my whole life? Have you ever found yourself in a situation that turns your whole world upside down? How do you reach deep enough in your heart to forgive when the results of their sin will never go away?
- How do I forgive when the pain of the sin committed against me will not go away?
Most of us tend to view ourselves through different eyes than we view others. We let emotion drive the bus and as a result we convince ourselves we are right and everyone else is wrong. Maybe we don’t know how to forgive because we grew up with parents who would not forgive, but for the rest of their lives relived the episode.. Perhaps this is all we have known.
I have five words for you. Turn it over to God! The good, the bad, the ugly, the successes, the failures, the sins committed by us and against us, give them all to God. Don’t let your emotions drive your life. God can wipe away the tears. Vengence belongs to Him. We have nothing and are nothing except by the grace of an almighty God. To all who have wronged me or feel i have wronged them it is forgiven, turn it loose. Give it to God. May God extend His grace to all of us, friend and foe alike. In Christ, Dell Kimberly
Who Told You That 
To succeed, to achieve, to compete, to get a head, and to be the best in everything we do. However, forgiveness is actually a gift we give ourselves not a gift we give the other person. Forgiveness is the freedom we give ourselves from the bondage we have allowed the other person to hold over us.
I did not learn this until I was sober during the period of 1990 to 2000. It is our EGO that makes us hold onto the old hurts others do to us.
EGO = Edging God Out.
Think about that last statement for a long while.
Have you ever watched the movie the “Shift”? It is a very good move that really explains how the EGO is so damaging to God’s will and keep’s us from really understanding and reaching God’s will within our lives. At least it did that for me.
Hugs always,
Guy
Sorry my brain is working faster then my finger this morning.
My first sentence should read: To succeed, to achieve, to compete, to get a head, and to be the best in everything we do is things we learn from birth and are all EGO driven.