“I may forgive you but I sure won’t forget”. Sound familiar? It has been said many times over the years. It’s our nature to remember things and especially remember those who have caused us or the ones we love pain. Acts 13:38 -Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: Paul is sharing that through Jesus Christ is preached forgiveness of sins. When Jesus forgives us of our sins he forgets them.
Hebrews 8:12 - For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. We are to forget those things that have hurt us. To truly forgive is to truly forget. In our natural selves we will remember but to be able to grow spiritually we will not dwell on the hurt nor allow the pain to grow in our spirit.
Eventually you will see a change in someone who has been hurt if they have not truly forgiven. It took me several years to forgive everyone I felt attacked me physically and spiritually by their words. There was a definite change in my personality and character. It is almost impossible during time of pain to see any outlet of forgiveness. It is our Adam nature to want revenge and see others suffer as we have but this is not pleasing to the Lord. The greatest relief and freedom I have experienced is when I was able to release the pain and hurt to Jesus and allow him to fight my battles.
Eventually you will see a change in someone who has been hurt if they have not truly forgiven. It took me several years to forgive everyone I felt attacked me physically and spiritually by their words. There was a definite change in my personality and character. It is almost impossible during time of pain to see any outlet of forgiveness. It is our Adam nature to want revenge and see others suffer as we have but this is not pleasing to the Lord. The greatest relief and freedom I have experienced is when I was able to release the pain and hurt to Jesus and allow him to fight my battles.
I had to do the following to get victory in my own life:
a. Shut up – Stop digging up the past and whining over it. No wants to share in a pity party that will bring them down also.
b. Give up – I had to surrender my pain, my thoughts, and my past to the Lord.
c. Stand up - I had to hold my head up, stand strong, and realize if I was going to serve a God who parted the Red Sea, healed the cripple, caused the blind to see, and casted out a legion of demons then I had to begin to demonstrate the word of God in my life and allow Him to manifest himself through my spirit.
Too many times we allow ourselves to stoop to the level of others who are not in God’s will. Stop looking at those who appear powerful with words but focus on the “One” who is powerful with words and can deliver you out of the snares of Satan.
Hebrews 10:22-24 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Encouraging one another unto love and good works sounds like a plan to me, how about you? If you searched your heart can you say yoyou are a peacekeeper and that you don’t allow yourself to provoke others to wrath (anger, rage, or fury)? Do you hold fast the profession of your faith? Has your heart been sprinkled from an evil conscious? Or do you thrive on hurting others and enjoy stirring up trouble between others?
Search your hearts and ask just what are you allowing God to do in your life. Have you surrendered all to the Holy Father? Even if you are still struggling with weaknesses does not mean you have to give in to those weaknesses until God delivers you from them. It does mean you can overcome those weaknesses one by one as God teaches you how to turn your weaknesses into strengths.
You will know you have forgiven if:
1. You don’t pray for God to judge and punish the person who hurt you.
2. You can be around the person or persons who hurt you and not feel resentment but pity for them.
3. You have let go of the past incident and stop thinking of it often.
4. You don’t feel guilty before the Lord. Sometimes when we have sin in our lives such as holding a grudge or resentment toward someone then we are guilty of sin before the Lord.
Luke 6:35-37 - 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Romans 12: 14-21 - 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Don’t live in the past but enjoy the present and focus on the future. Luke 9:62 - 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
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