Forgiveness

It's sad but so many people are held in bondage to their past. What they've done and what has been done to them has kept them from moving forward into all that God has for their lives. Repentance and God's amazing mercy and grace removes the grip of sin and shame that the enemy has on us but what do we do when we've been horribly violated by someone we've loved, trusted, and possibly looked up to? 

I've been there, as a child, having been abused for a few years by my family's closest friend and someone I idolized, was incredibly painful. Then to watch, as by the grace of God, my mother forgave him while my heart was still bleeding was very difficult. She understood the principal of destroying the grip of unforgiveness in her life. I, on the other hand, spent a few years dreaming of revenge and fighting others as a way of inflicting pain before it was inflicted on me.

A broken heart, filled with rage has the power to destroy your life. It actually gives the perpetrator and the forces of evil in their lives power over us. I'm not going to lie, as I came to Christ I wasn't suddenly filled with love and forgiveness for this man nor was I instantly healed of the effects of the abuse. As I drew closer to Jesus and beheld His beauty, tender love, mercy and affection toward me, my desire for revenge turned to a desire to please Christ ABOVE ALL ELSE! So, I gave Him the broken pieces of my heart and expressed my desire to forgive for His sake. I was amazed that with every step that I drew closer to Him, the layers of pain and bitterness began to melt away. 

One day all that was left was compassion for this lost soul, complete peace in my heart and love for one who didn't deserve it. The truth is, I never deserved the love of God, yet it was so graciously given to me. You don't have the power to change your own heart but as you draw closer to Jesus with a willingness to forgive, you'll be healed and transformed by His power, love, mercy, and grace. Your affliction may be very different than mine, but whatever it is that's holding you captive, allow Christ to do in you what years of therapy and medication could never do!

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NKJV) Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Mark 11:25-26 (NKJV) “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

Colossians 3:12 -14 (NKJV) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.