Forgiveness

As I sit here thinking of how to share this story, my roommate, Amanda tells me about her sermon today at Journey church. She said that it was about hearing how God speaks to us in different ways. Some people hear His voice, others get signs, and if you're like me, he will literally knock you right off your feet when I need to hear him most. So today, God showed me a verse that has been weighing heavily on my heart for weeks, and I feel the need to share with you all :) Luke 6:27-28 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." 

From the cradle to the rocker, we are all guilty of keeping "tabs" on people that do us wrong. When my best friend, Megan, and I were growing up I threw her tamagotchi angel out the window...(I guess she had made me mad, and for whatever reason, I thought throwing her favorite toy out the window would make us even). To this day she won't let me live that one down. Of course this concept continues as we get older, but on a much bigger scale; the girl or guy that breaks your heart for the first time, the boss that gives your well-deserved promotion to someone else, the car dealer that ripped you off... it is a never ending battle. 

I know for me, I can slap a smile on my face and tell myself to "forgive and forget", but that wrong-doing will dwell in the back of my mind until the next person crosses me. But what does God say about forgiveness? Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." God commands us to forgive each other, because having that anger/hurt/resentment built up is self-destructive. It will literally eat away at you until you break down and turn that anger into hatred. 

While God commands us to forgive, God doesn't command that we have to continue to have a relationship with that person. If someone does you wrong time after time, forgive them...every single time...but do not feel the need to trust that person again. Don't feel like not pursuing a relationship with someone is displeasing to God. I think God calls us to forgive because he knows our hearts. He knows that no one wakes up in the morning and thinks, "I want to hurt someone today". These things just happen because we are sinful beings. Forgiveness releases the negative that consumes and takes over us, and frees us! 

I know for me, I have had resentment built up over a past relationship that I just cannot seem to release. When I think back on all the time that I sat around wasting precious moments that could have been happy, dwelling on anger and hatred for that person...it makes me sad! God wouldn't WANT us to have anger in our hearts. He knows when we're happy and he knows when we're upset...so don't kid yourself into thinking you're going to hide your resentment from him..because you will fail every time! So I'm not by any means saying suck it up and move on. I'm saying talk to God about what's residing in your heart...and LISTEN for his answers. 

To those of you who have been wronged in a relationship, remember this verse, 1 Corinthians 13:5 talks about love, "It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." If you know in your heart that you cannot accept everything about that person, the good, the bad, and the ugly, then you need to take a good look in the mirror and decide first, is anyone going to ever have that "perfect past?"...I can almost guarantee that's a no. And second, is this relationship worth it? Because if you can't accept that person today, what makes you think that you will accept them tomorrow? If the two of you can overcome this battle, God will bless your relationship in so many ways because you have loved in the way he intended love to be!

Overcoming forgiveness: I challenge each of you to make a list of every person that you've held a grudge towards, or that you just haven't been able to forgive. Once you've made that, go down the list and pray that God grants you the serenity to truly forgive them. Pray for those individuals. Continue to pray for them until the day you can look at that list and no longer hold those emotions for that person...and then cross them off! Forgiveness can be instant, but trust is built over time and can be taken away at any given moment. Have faith that God will grant you that serenity if you simply ask. "Forgiveness", to me, means letting go and letting God!