Unforgiveness is one of those words that can send chills down your spine, make your body grow tense, make you remember that thing you have to do. Unforgiveness is not an easy subject to discuss. Well, let me clarify.
As Christians we LOVE to talk about the forgiveness that’s been offered to us on the cross. We talk about the innocent blood of Christ spilled for the guilty, the ultimate sacrifice, once for all, mending the once broken relationship between us and God the Father. We didn’t earn it. We didn’t deserve. He simply gave it to us. He SAVED us.
So, we like to talk about forgiveness, the forgiveness we’ve RECEIVED from God, but rarely do we discuss the forgiveness we GIVE others, or just the opposite, the unforgiveness we cling to because we refuse to be like Christ. Who wants to talk about that? I don’t. Do you? Here’s the deal, it doesn’t matter if you or I want to talk about it, it doesn’t matter if we want to do it, God says to.
As I’ve said before, when God says to do something you don’t have to pray about it, you just do it.
Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness. He asked Jesus how many times he should offer forgiveness. Once? Twice? Seven times? Do you remember Jesus’ response?
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:22 NKJV
In other words, there’s no limit to how often we should offer forgiveness. It’s not a sign of weakness. It doesn’t mean you allow people to walk all over you. It simply means you do not hold on to unforgiveness.
Forgiveness is a CHOICE. Just like following Jesus is a CHOICE. You choose to let go of the past, let go of the hurt, let go of the pain, let go of that deep-rooted desire to want to hate that other person for what they did, what they said. OR you choose to hold on to it, you choose to be sick, you choose to remain stuck in the pain, stuck in the crap, unable to move forward in your life, your recovery, your spiritual journey.
Nick, you don’t understand! You don’t understand what happened to me! You don’t understand the pain! You don’t know how I suffered! Listen, you’re probably right. Most likely, I don’t understand. And if you were abused, if you experienced pain as the result of someone else harming you, than I’m truly sorry for what happened, but I’m here to tell you that you no longer have to remain the VICTIM. That person did something horrendous to you, hurt you deeply, but because you remain stuck in it, because you’re holding onto it, you’re allowing that person to KEEP HURTING YOU! VICTORY remains just beyond your reach because you won’t let go of the past.
God has something so much BETTER for you. He’s already shown what it means to forgive. Jesus, while still hanging from the cross, bloodied and battered, asked his Father to forgive those who beat him, who spit on him, who pierced his hands and feet…you…me. He modeled what it means to forgive.
What will you choose? Will you choose to remain the VICTIM or will you choose to experience VICTORY?
Learn what it means to forgive and to be forgiven this Friday at Celebrate Recovery.
As Christians we LOVE to talk about the forgiveness that’s been offered to us on the cross. We talk about the innocent blood of Christ spilled for the guilty, the ultimate sacrifice, once for all, mending the once broken relationship between us and God the Father. We didn’t earn it. We didn’t deserve. He simply gave it to us. He SAVED us.
So, we like to talk about forgiveness, the forgiveness we’ve RECEIVED from God, but rarely do we discuss the forgiveness we GIVE others, or just the opposite, the unforgiveness we cling to because we refuse to be like Christ. Who wants to talk about that? I don’t. Do you? Here’s the deal, it doesn’t matter if you or I want to talk about it, it doesn’t matter if we want to do it, God says to.
As I’ve said before, when God says to do something you don’t have to pray about it, you just do it.
Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness. He asked Jesus how many times he should offer forgiveness. Once? Twice? Seven times? Do you remember Jesus’ response?
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:22 NKJV
In other words, there’s no limit to how often we should offer forgiveness. It’s not a sign of weakness. It doesn’t mean you allow people to walk all over you. It simply means you do not hold on to unforgiveness.
Forgiveness is a CHOICE. Just like following Jesus is a CHOICE. You choose to let go of the past, let go of the hurt, let go of the pain, let go of that deep-rooted desire to want to hate that other person for what they did, what they said. OR you choose to hold on to it, you choose to be sick, you choose to remain stuck in the pain, stuck in the crap, unable to move forward in your life, your recovery, your spiritual journey.
Nick, you don’t understand! You don’t understand what happened to me! You don’t understand the pain! You don’t know how I suffered! Listen, you’re probably right. Most likely, I don’t understand. And if you were abused, if you experienced pain as the result of someone else harming you, than I’m truly sorry for what happened, but I’m here to tell you that you no longer have to remain the VICTIM. That person did something horrendous to you, hurt you deeply, but because you remain stuck in it, because you’re holding onto it, you’re allowing that person to KEEP HURTING YOU! VICTORY remains just beyond your reach because you won’t let go of the past.
God has something so much BETTER for you. He’s already shown what it means to forgive. Jesus, while still hanging from the cross, bloodied and battered, asked his Father to forgive those who beat him, who spit on him, who pierced his hands and feet…you…me. He modeled what it means to forgive.
What will you choose? Will you choose to remain the VICTIM or will you choose to experience VICTORY?
Learn what it means to forgive and to be forgiven this Friday at Celebrate Recovery.
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