I was feeling entitled.
Entitled to the grudges, bitterness, victim mentality, and entitled to be offended with people from my past and present because of things that have happened to me.
This was eating me, and I had no clue. I even felt entitled to the pain.
wrrrronng-o!
I don't know if I'm ready for all of THAT."
"My daughter, I did the heavy lifting, I paid the price. All you have to do is release. Be still, listen, I will teach you."
And so I sat on the rooftop here in India, and listened.
I waited, patiently with the breeze blowing across my face, sun shining down and feeling………..no, knowing His peace.
(I pulled some of this from a sermon Becca taught on forgiveness last year, and I happened to bring it on the race)
Entitled to the grudges, bitterness, victim mentality, and entitled to be offended with people from my past and present because of things that have happened to me.
This was eating me, and I had no clue. I even felt entitled to the pain.
wrrrronng-o!
God called me to solitude.
Told me just to remove myself from the business
of interacting with people at home.
He gave me dreams and told me that this month He is
going to teach me about
I swallowed hard. "
what God?!I don't know if I'm ready for all of THAT."
"My daughter, I did the heavy lifting, I paid the price. All you have to do is release. Be still, listen, I will teach you."
And so I sat on the rooftop here in India, and listened.
I waited, patiently with the breeze blowing across my face, sun shining down and feeling………..no, knowing His peace.
After 2 weeks He has taught me so much,
reaffirmed His love, comforted, and brought healing to many relationships and individually.
What I've been learning about forgiveness:
(I pulled some of this from a sermon Becca taught on forgiveness last year, and I happened to bring it on the race)
Forgiveness is literally giving. It's giving a person (& the sin they've committed against you) TO God.
STEP 1: choose to pardon, withold punishment. just like Jesus did, He pardoned us before our sin.
STEP 2: Break agreements with judgements you have held against that person. The offender is still a child of God. Judgements are ungodly beliefs about another person, that can hold them in a prison.
STEP 3: Repent for negative heart expectations.
STEP 4: stop "playing old tapes". Get healing, you have a right to be healed, you do NOT have a right to be offended.
STEP 5: rip up the "I.O.U." I.O.U.'s are the punisher's attitude. Bitterness dwells here and destroys. Harboring bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.
*Don't agree to the lies the devil feeds you about that person. Agreement is the method in which we come together in unity with the devil by listening to those lies.
*When we really choose to forgive someone, we no longer hold anything to their "account".
Forgiveness IS NOT:
Forgiveness IS:
-grace
-pardoning sin against you
-what God wants/tells us to do
-a release of debts
-neccessary
-something we should do often
-it is putting away bitterness/rage/slander
-imitating God
-complete acceptance of the other person
-listening to God's command to forgive so that we may be forgiven
-keeping no records of wrongs
-affirming your love
-outwitting satan
-an on-going process
-courageous
-giving something/someone completely to God
-a heart choice
-restoring and healing
Phillipians 3:13-14 "Brothers I don't consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Romans 12:2 "Do NOT conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–His good and pleasing will."
Isaiah 43: 25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgessions , for my own sake, & remember your sins no more."
*2 Corinthians 2: 7-8 "Now instead, you ought to forgive & comfort, so that they will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for one another."
James 1:19-20 " My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak, & slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."
Romans 12:9 "Love must be sincere, Hate what is evil, cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."
These are the things I've been mulling over and to be able to fully release someone has been easier with these steps and taking my time doing it one person at a time.These things are so important and critical to you and your future children. Make the decision to choose life. Choose life, choose freedom!
