One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is to "let it go". Is it worth it to you to hold on to bitterness and resentment and anger? As I've just completed reading a book regarding confronting, forgiving and moving on, it's been a tremendous reminder of what we need to do in order to free ourselves from the burden of unforgiveness. Holding onto feelings, things, and even people that we should let go of is a heavy burden. This does include forgiving yourself.
Imagine waking up each morning, picking up a fifty pound bag of goo and carrying it around all day, until you go to sleep that evening. Carrying baggage of any kind is a burden. As so is carrying around unforgiveness. Learning to forgive doesn't mean we are excusing an activity, but forgiving for the action. Really, truly, absolutely forgiving; letting go.
Proverbs 20:22 “Say not, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and He will save you.”
Being human, forgiving is not always easy to do. Sometimes we “forgive”, but don’t really “let it go”. Perhaps we’ve exchanged our fifty pound bag of goo for a twenty-five pound bag. And being of flesh, it’s easier for me to forgive someone who has genuinely asked for forgiveness. But what of others who don’t seem to have the ability to ever admit they are in error because they truly think they are never in error? Or what about those who know they are in error, but come across as incapable of saying, or meaning, “I’m sorry”? They may accept your apology, but don’t appear to realize they have caused offense also.
We forgive anyway.
Ah, a bit more difficult isn’t it. But we forgive anyway. Just as our Father has forgiven us. And will continue to do so.
Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Luke 6:35 “Be merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
Sometimes I utilize the freedom of letting go. And then again, I may exchange that freedom for the twenty-five or fifty pound bag of goo. And then let it go again. Need help with forgiving? Ask the Lord. He’s already given each of us the gift of forgiving others – exercise that precious gift from Him.
I am a WIP – Work In Progress. And am thankful for God’s compassion and love and forgiveness.
1 John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God shows us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him.
I challenge you to study Luke 17:6 this week:
“And the Lord said, If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you say unto this sycamine tree, Be plucked up by the root, and be planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”
Let’s strive to verbally command the bitter root of one of the strongest rooted trees created and throw it into the sea, filled with salt water, which kills plants. Destroy the root of unforgiveness with me!
Prayerfully, your sister in Him,
Robin
Thanks for your words of wisdom. I just finished reading that book, too. It's interesting how we have forgiven someone and then find the offense creeping back in. Fortunately, we have a forgiving God who beckons us to keep on forgiving and forgiving and forgiving!
ReplyDeleteAnne,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. Often, offenses will creep back in to our lives when we allow them. Many things aren't a one time fixes all!
I am so grateful for a compassionate Savior -- He is so good!
Prayers to you, dear one,
Robin