This week or for a while now I guess God has really been speaking to me about forgiveness. Today as I was doing some bible reading he reminded me of it again.
I just wanted to share some thoughts that I have on forgiveness and some things that the Lord has been walking me through.
I’ll start with a cool story. Recently this week one day while in prayer/worship I remembered an event that took place a few years ago. It was a painful day. It was the day my ex boyfriend and I broke up. This time as the memory came to my mind, there was not any pain associated with it. I could see everything that happened that day, as if I was reliving it. I could still see me crying, but I could also see past that. Instead of seeing a “guy who smashed my heart into a million pieces” a guy who said “x y and z that hurt my feelings” I saw a mother who cared about her daughter as she tried to connect with me through wifi and facebook messenger because the phones where down at the time. I saw a father who would do anything for his baby girl as he drove from Shreveport Lousiana up through Mississippi to come and get me because the straight shot to Baton Rouge was flooded out. And I even saw a guy who despite however he was feeling, let me sleep because my head hurt so bad from crying, who while I was sleeping packed up my stuff and helped me load it into my car. I realized during this moment I was actually able to let go of all the hurt, all the pain that I didn’t even know I was holding on to for so many years. And it was all replaced with a peace unexplainable. A sense of joy and love just came crashing in.
You see a few weeks ago I found myself sitting in the living room of the house I currently live in crying. This lead to a conversation with a beautiful husband and wife. The owners of the house I am staying in. For the first time I think ever I saw forgiveness in a new light. As we talked the mother of the household shared these three words. “Forgive, release, and bless” you see many times in life I have been hurt, we all have. I have known forgiveness is a thing I am supposed to do so I would often times get hurt snd say “I forgive so and so” then just push past it. As long as I don’t think about the event, it’s like it never happened and it’s all good. Even though sometimes if thoughts about the event came up there would still be a little sting which I often times just said “well yeah, they hurt me and that was a painful experience so of course there will be a sting but I know I forgave them” then just dismiss the sting push it down and keep going. I now realize though after having that memory that you can truly forgive, to the point of not just forgiving a person but really experiencing the freedom from all pain and hurt associated with the event. So why should we forgive? Well
The bible tells us
“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.
Matthew 6:14?-?15 NLT
And it also tells us
And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.
Hebrews 3:18 – 4:1?-?2 NLT
So since God tells us to forgive, we ought to forgive. Also by being obedient, to God we get to experience his rest. Real rest, that doesn’t just ignore hurts and pains but provides a peace and a joy beyond understanding.
A quick overview of the “forgive release bless” process
1. Forgive – choosing to let go of whatever act was done towards you. To “cancel” the act as if it never happened.
2. Release – releasing the person who has done the act. (This could be a variety of things a biblical example I think would be Joseph saying ” But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.”
Genesis 45:5 NLT … in this Joseph is releasing his brothers from feeling guilt or shame. But you could release people from expectations of righting the wrong done. Or from ever having to say sorry….. this really varies depending on the situation)
3. Bless – and not just a “I bless you” but truly pray from deep within specific blessings over the person.
Thanks for reading!
Until next time,
Michelle
Dont forget the 4 ways I would love for you to come along side me and make this journey your journey as well!
1. Pray – can you believe in 2 short months I will be heading out into the field!?! Keep praying that I will have everything I need before go time.
2. Donate – you can donate directly on this blog page by pressing the donate button up top. I am needing $10,000 by December 13th in order to launch with my squad. I am still about $7,500 away from that goal.
3. Subscribe – once I am out on the field these blogs may be the best way to keep up with everything God is doing around the world. If you want to stay connect best way to do so is hit the subscribe button up top.
4. Share – if anything you have read has touched your heart go ahead and share it with your friends and family and invite them to join this journey with us!
