1.7.11

Matthew 6:14-15 If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

My Thoughts

Forgiveness is such an emotionally freeing thing.  What it does for our own well being is amazing.  So much of what God ask us to do for others helps us more than we could possibly even help others.  Most times when we are angry at somebody it doesn't effect them because they don't even know... the other half don't care.... so we walk around with anger and resentment that only brings us down. Unforgiveness changes us.. whittles away at us over time... it is like water running over a rock you may not notice the change the water is making ...but the water is still changing the structure of the rock and one day the rock is no longer the same.  When I started my journey through the Bible last year and I read this verse I started forgiving people... I didn't confront them....I just told God I forgave them... some people I had to forgive day after day, after day, after day.... and slowly but surely I begin to feel a good change in me.... it left me free to love these people again and slowly my list of people I needed to forgive each day became shorter and shorter... then I begin to learn to forgive as soon as I felt the first flicker of resentment or anger... unforgiveness robs us of so much... when we are angry we can waste whole days, weeks, years.... unforgiveness robs us of joy, it can go so far as to rob us of the ability to be productive... it can cause great anxiety... it separates us from God and from people... it breaks families apart sometimes forever.  Have you ever noticed how hard it is to like, or love somebody that doesn't like somebody that you love... well God loves us all, every single one of us.... and God does not want us resenting, or hating... having  bad feelings toward the people he loves... we like it when we know God wants others to love us... but we need to embrace it just as much when God wants us to love and forgive others.  I know that forgiveness can be such a hard thing...and sometimes you have to start with the words and wait for the feeling to follow... but I ask you today, to say out loud to God "I forgive __________" and if you find  you still have feeling of resentment, or anger or hurt at that person tomorrow... say it again and again the next day... when you say it enough because you are making the effort God steps in and makes the impossible possible... and it changes us.. When God changes us we only become better. Who can you forgive today?