I have often heard the saying - well I may forgive but I will not forget. When someone hurts you it can roll around in your mind and begin to eat you up as a cancer or you may be the type that blocks out and doesn't deal with the problem. My personal way I handle hurts are to put my "walls" up and avoid or clam up. Recently I had a situation that I got mad/hurt and couldn't sleep that night, I tossed and turned and was miserable. I got up for my morning quite time and the first scripture I came to (keep in mind I was still fuming and not ready to forgive or even think about it! I had been hurt and "thought" I had a right to be mad) ok the scripture when I just opened my Bible was -Ephesians 4:26-27 "In your anger do not sin" Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
I felt as though I had my arms folded in tight and just thought to myself I know this is what Your Word says, but....I am not ready to forgive. I can tell ya when you act this way God is not pleased. After several more very direct Words from God to straighten up - the situation got brought out in the open and healing, forgiveness and the peace came back into the relationship. The last part of that scripture about giving the devil a foothold - this is so true - when you are upset/mad is it not so normal that we all tend to "blow" things a bit out of proportion and doubt, rudeness, all the things that are opposite of the fruits of the spirit flood your mind. Crazy - I can see it now and I know better, but I still do it. God's way is so much better - why oh why do I continue to fall?
This is a battle I have to pray daily for God to help me overcome.
I heard once that unforgiveness is like drinking poison while waiting for the other person to die.
I have to wonder if anyone has ever felt this way or seen this take place - the unforgiving person is miserable while the other person has no clue. A "festering" is going on - and when you fester you usually have a stench or smell that goes along with it!
My past has haunted me and with the help of God I want to lay it down at the foot of the cross and "humbly" (not beating myself up for failure) but with a pure clean heart serve God with all my might. I believe we go through trials to humble us, help us to be more understanding, and allow us to know the strength we feel can come from God alone. Remember that others may not forget - but.... I have to remember how God forgives - this was said when Jesus had been beaten beyond recognition and hanging on a cross... Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father forgive them, they do not know what they are doing." - wow - I must extend the same kind of forgiveness God has shown me to others - when we truly forgive someone that has hurt us the peace that God puts in our hearts is beyond anything our mortal minds can comprehend - we are free....
Ephesians 1 (The Message)
7-10Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.
11-12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
13-14It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.
I heard a great talk today that put a lot of things in perspective for me - in tears the speaker said that we have things we are not proud of, we have a hard time forgiving ourselves and it is a fact that others don't forget - BUT.... God forgives and forgets - our sins are wiped clean - thank you Jesus!
We are called to love each other - Life is too short to go around stewing mad, drinking poison, or carrying a big ole chip on our shoulders - God has called us to be His children, to be transformed into His likeness - let's drink in His love, His forgiveness, His grace, His mercy and in return give what we have received to others as freely as we have received from God.
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