The Truth about Forgiveness

Sometimes, the hardest person to forgive is our self. We struggle with forgiving the intrusion inflicted on us by others; but we often find it easier to forgive their insults and violation than to forgive our self. 

If we refuse to forgive others, the resulting bitterness is a malignancy, which invades our body, soul and spirit; yet, if we choose to forgive, we do not excuse their behavior, but we set our self free from the bondage unforgiveness causes (Ephesians 4:31-32). 

Our refusal to forgive our self, will inflict these same results in our body, soul and spirit (Proverbs 10:12). We grow bitter at our self for disappointing our self or someone else, or for failing to meet up to our own idealistic standards. 

Bitterness attracts other negative emotions, such as shame, depression and hopelessness. We accuse our self of ineptitude, carelessness, greediness and thoughtlessness. 

When we make choices that turn out badly, we are disappointed and hold a grudge against our self. These grudges fester and affect our future choices, our reactions to others and our feelings about our self (Hebrews 12:15). 

We end up in a downward spiral, which keeps us locked into negative thoughts, emotions and future behavior (Colossians 3:8). Therefore, it is imperative that we forgive even our self (Luke 6:37; Proverbs 20:22). 

There is no sin too wicked to receive God's forgiveness. God's Word tells us that to lust is equal to fornication or rape, and to hate is the same as murder (Matthew 5:21, 28). 

God considers all sins equal in their depravity. When we forgive our self and others, we humble our pride, admit that we are human and open our soul up to God's immeasurable grace (Hebrews 4:16). 

When bitterness and anger no longer take up space in our heart, we feel God's peace and joy filling the void. We bask in God's love for us, and His love empowers us to love our self and others. God calls us to forgive our human tendency to wound our self and one another (Psalm 103:12). 

Prayer: Father God, teach us humility through our foibles and failures. It is only in our weakness that we reach out to You. Help us to understand that to forgive our self and others is to free our self from the bondage of bitterness and unforgiveness (John 18:15-27). 

Help us to relax our impossible standards and to allow our self and others to be human (Philippians 3:13). Remind us that our prayers are hindered by negative emotions; yet, when we forgive and focus on the life of Christ within us, You can forgive us and open the windows of heaven to pour out Your blessings on our life (Mark 11:25; Malachi 3:10). 

Thought for the Day:
When we choose to forgive our self and others for being human, we allow our self the opportunity to experience the forgiveness and unconditional love of God in all of its fullness. - 1 John 1:9

Providential Prosperity

When we allow trials to divert our attention, they thwart us from performing the works, which God prepared for us to do before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 2:10). We run headlong after life with every distraction that our family, the world, the flesh and the devil bring our way. We live life at a full tilt bouncing from one issue to the next. We do not intend to purposely fall away. It happens gradually, with one good excuse after another until we are caught in a downward spiral

We get so busy living life that we fail to live for God. Satan strives to use our trials to unseat our joy by causing confusion, defeat, anxiety and depression (2 Corinthians 4:8). Frantic panic feeds on the unresolved conflicts within our soul, fueled by Satan’s lies, which he placed in the experiences in our past. Subconsciously, we believe his lies as the truth, and we spin our wheels in our attempts to serve God and to walk in His Truth.

Persevering prayer allows God to reveal His truth about that former experience, and the devil and his lies must flee from us (James 4:8). The freedom we experience once we hear God’s truth will remain in our soul forever. Jesus gives us His resurrection life in every area of our existence, even in our body through eternal glorification once we pass from this life into the next. While we live on earth, our spirit and soul providentially prosper by His loving kindness, which is better than life (Psalm 63:3).

Christ in us is sufficient to respond to the challenge of any trial and to bring His rest to our soul (Colossians 1:27; Hebrews 4:10). Every circumstance encountered by a child of God becomes a providential prospect for His divine provision. Therefore, we can view each circumstance, even the negative ones, with thanksgiving and delight (James 1:2-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Peter 1:6-8). Our faith triumphs under the pressure of trials (James 1:11). Living completely in the will of God is truly the happiest place on earth (Colossians 3:1).

Prayer:

Father God, help us to restrain our wayward thoughts and to live clear-headedly with purpose and devotion to You. Increase Your grace, which we received at salvation; and remind us to hope in Your mercy (1 Peter 1:13). We do not want to lay up treasure for our self here on this temporary earth, but in heaven where they will last for eternity (Matthew 6:19-21). We are blessed if we remain focused on You during our trials, because You give us Your crown of life once we stand firm through the test.

Thought for the Day:

This world is passing away; but those who do the will of God live forever.  - 1 John 2:15