I sure hope that your May has kicked off to a good start. The heat is settling in quick around our parts. We've kicked off May with watching our softball girls win the District. Next week we start another round of ball. It's so much fun to watch these girls and especially our girl, Mallory. She plays centerfield. We were so proud of both teams that played against each other. They all, hand in hand gathered together as one of our girls prayed for the game and also for one of our young men that was in a horrific car accident and fighting. His name is Kaden if you can think to lift him up to our Lord. I had the opportunity recently to speak to a group of women at a ladies luncheon event at a local church. Oh we had so much fun. I wished I had gotten pictures of the beautiful decorations. We had a TEA PARTY and we each kept the cup that we drank out of it. Isn't she just lovely? Easter has come and gone but we sure have a great time with family. We gather each...
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Have you heard others say, "Well I might forgive them BUT I will NEVER FORGET it". Can I be honest? I would be willing to say that if we have that mindset we've probably truly NOT forgiven them.
How do I know this to be true? I've said it and I've felt it and guess what? I truly had not forgiven them!
The word "Forgive" means to pardon one for their trespasses. It means to excuse a person from the things they have done against you, to absolve them from punishment. It means to renounce your anger at that person, and not to hold it against them.
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So in essence when we say, I will forgive but not forget we are still harboring that anger and we are still holding it against them.
Yes you can take it to the bank that Satan will bring back into memory what angered you to begin with. He is like a broken record...playing over and over again. That is what he's good at. When Satan starts that mess with me and believe me he does at times I renounce him harmless and ineffective over my thought life. I began to call out to God to help me with my thoughts. Satan can't hang around when you are using the Name of Jesus!
I know when I have truly forgiven because I honestly do not look at the person with the same hostility I once had...my heart is no longer broken over what they done or said...I have no ungodly attitude towards them at all and I KNOW that I have truly forgiven. But let me tell you my friend...it is only because of the GRACE of God that I can do that. And ONLY because of Him because there is NOTHING good in me and I could not have done it on my own! That's how I know when I have truly forgiven!
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I had a very wise woman tell me once...When you say you are forgiving someone that means you are ON PURPOSELY putting it in your PAST and it NO LONGER EXISTS!
Something I learned all by my little self a long time ago was if I don't forgive them I am allowing that person to have control over me!
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If we continue to judge their actions and bring up the past but yet we claim that we have pardoned them then I am afraid we truly have not forgiven. (Matthew 18:35)
I did not say it was easy to forgive...Oh I have struggled many times and felt I had good reasons to do so! We can justify anything if we think long enough and hard enough. But I am telling you this....my lack of forgiveness was my bondage for years!
But regardless of what we feel in our hearts and remember, according to the Bible our heart can be very deceiving to us, God's Word makes it clear on the act of Forgiveness. Matthew 6:14-15 says, For if you forgive men when they
sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you
do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
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There has been times that this battle in my life has been just that....a BATTLE. There has been times that I cannot explain it but our Lord helped me to truly FORGIVE. When I could think about that person and feel no hurt I knew I had forgiven them. When I saw that person and only saw Love, I knew I had forgiven them. When the past no longer held me in bondage I knew I had forgiven them. WHAT A SWEET PEACE and HEALING FOR ME! And I said FOR ME! Sometimes the act of forgiveness is for US and US ALONE!
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In closing today I just want to say that this is not by accident that the Lord have me to blog about forgiveness or the lack of. Not only have I had to examine my own heart and God is steady working on me in different areas of my life but there is someone reading this post that needs this right now. I don't know who but I have learned over the years of walking with the Lord that God doesn't make mistakes. Funny at how when He gives His servants a message to share that He is working on the servant's heart as well! As I tell my sweet ladies in Bible Study when teaching..."I am talking to the choir first ladies! They know that means "I'm talking to myself first".
Oh my friends...The older I get the more I realize that....LIFE IS SHORT....JUST TOO SHORT! Let's learn to "get well" through the act of forgiveness!
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Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Great words Cindy. The more I truly forgive the easier it gets. It is so freeing to let go of that anger and move on. something that my girls are still working on but I try to encourage them not to lug that load around. hugs to you and hope you have a beautiful day!
ReplyDeleteThat other person this was meant for....me! Thank you for your obedience to writing what HE places on your heart! Love you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteEasier said than done Cindy. But with Christ all things are possible.
ReplyDeleteConnie Royals
Great post, Cindy!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by!!
Wait until you see the Display House!!
Hugs,
Deb
Cindy,
ReplyDeleteI always come away from your blog with such a smile on my face and a song in my heart. Thank you for touching my heart through your words of wisdom.
Love,
Debbie
Absolutely wonderful, Cindy! I love reading your writing because you always make it known that anything you are sharing is because you have been there...walked that mile in your own shoes before looking at someone else.
ReplyDeleteWant to hear a blessing? I'm late getting around to blog reading today because of putting things in order here at home before I leave on Saturday for my visit with my daughter. But I woke up this morning with an unforgiving spirit. Satan had given me enough rope to hang myself in the feeling righteous department. But when I was standing at the kitchen sink washing up dishes the Holy Spirit convicted me, I gave it to the Lord and the next time that person came into my thoughts it was with joy! Isn't God's grace marvelous? And then 2 hours later I came here to read this!
Big hugs coming to you, my friend!
Dianna xo
I like this word because it has lot of power in it.When we forgive others we will have a good relationship with all and have many friends.
ReplyDeleteI love your thoughts here, Cindy. I must agree to disagree on one issue, however. We ALWAYS remember when someone hurts our heart. It's like a physical scar. When someone takes a knife and slashes you across the arm, each time you see that scar you will remember. We remember when someone shreds our heart, it's something we can't forget. However, when we remember we can certainly choose how we respond. Each time I remember a specific deep hurt, I give it back up to God. We will remember, but we can choose the better option of forgiveness. I love so much your heart after God, Cindy!
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