After years of holding in all the injustices this person had done to me, I finally decided it was time to let it go. Letting go was only part of it, the other major and most important part was forgiving them. I talked myself into believing that I had forgiven them because I wanted God to forgive me of my sins. Matthew 6:14-15 says:
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
However, the true marker of my unforgiveness was the hurt and pain I still carried around. One day, I was listening to a preacher and although his sermon was not on forgiveness, he started to discuss forgiveness. He stated that one must remember Ephesians 6:12 which states,
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Although someone may have hurt us, remember that our real adversary is the devil. The devil has a way of influencing people to do things to hurt us in turn to cause us to sin. We must keep this in mind. It does not absolve the person of their part but remember that our fight is not with a physical person but the forces of darkness that we cannot see.
It reminded me of the story of Job. The devil (with God’s permission) killed his children, stripped him of his livelihood, and afflicted him with illness. Job, of course, was depressed, and rightly so. His wife told him to curse God and die. This was his wife’s solution to the problem. This also showed that those closest to us can be influenced by the devil and not give the best advice or be the voice of reason. But Job refused. God is showing us that although Job lost everything, he did not sin against God.
“In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” - Job 1:22
This further shows us that although someone has wronged you, that does not give you the right to sin. It can feel justified but it does not make it right. Carrying that unforgiveness was a sin because it came in the way of my relationship with God. I was not allowing my savior, Jesus Christ to take the pain away to ease the heaviness in my heart.
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. - 1 Peter 5:7
Also, I had to remember that I am human. I have hurt others, whether knowingly or unknowingly. When I go before my heavenly father in prayer, and confess my sins, I want Him to forgive me (Matthew 6:14-15).
After that sermon, I asked God to remove my unforgiveness and free my heart of all the hurt I was holding in. I also asked Him to forgive me because I know I have hurt others and I am not even worthy of His forgiveness but because of Jesus, He will forgive me.
I felt lighter. I realized that it was the devil’s plan all along to keep me in bondage with all that hurt in my heart. After praying, I knew God had set me free. I knew that talking about the situation would not bring me to tears anymore. I prayed for the person who had hurt me and asked God to heal them of the hurt that they may be harboring and to set them free.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. - Matthew 5:43-45
Ultimately, our goal is to be children of our Father in heaven and how can we do that if we do not show that he lives in us. I learned that each day we are blessed with is another day to strive to become better in our God-like characteristics. God forgives, therefore, we must forgive.
I hope this message has blessed you as it has been a blessing for me.
I love you.
