The Word of God instructs us to forgive others their trespasses as He forgives us. Many women including myself have been through life with one resentment or the other......it is said that women hold on to past things more than men and it is rightly so as it's in our nature to hold on to things but when 'That Thing' is unforgiveness, it becomes a hindrance in our lives. And for us women who are married, i dare say we usually hold more anger or resentment towards our spouses most times....it is also said that one of the most painful things to do is forgiving the ones closest to you. Because you expect them to know better yet they hurt you the most......and like it or not you do the same to them.
When Jesus was asked by Peter how many times we should forgive one who offend us, Jesus replied, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.......Matthew 18:21-22. Hmmmm you do the math.....that is 490 times a day to forgive one who offends you. WOW!
I personally had some level of resentment towards my marriage in the past years and i asked God to help me let it go and also to be able to forgive on whatever the issue was. In the beginning it was very difficult to let myself go to say i choose to let go but with gradual honest prayers to God, i realised over time it didn't become an issue any longer.
"When we choose not to forgive, we end up walking in the dark (1 John 2:9-11). Because we can't see clearly, we stumble around in confusion. This throws our judgement off and we make mistakes. We become weak, sick and bitter. Other people notice all this because unforgiveness shows in the face, words and actions of those who have it. They see it, even if they can't specifically identify what it is and they don't feel comfortable around it. When we choose to forgive, not only do we benefit, but so do the people around us."*
The point is God wants you to forgive as many times as it takes. He wants you to be a forgiving person and there is a freedom that comes with forgiving that only God can help you with.......let this be your prayer today;
When Jesus was asked by Peter how many times we should forgive one who offend us, Jesus replied, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.......Matthew 18:21-22. Hmmmm you do the math.....that is 490 times a day to forgive one who offends you. WOW!
I personally had some level of resentment towards my marriage in the past years and i asked God to help me let it go and also to be able to forgive on whatever the issue was. In the beginning it was very difficult to let myself go to say i choose to let go but with gradual honest prayers to God, i realised over time it didn't become an issue any longer.
"When we choose not to forgive, we end up walking in the dark (1 John 2:9-11). Because we can't see clearly, we stumble around in confusion. This throws our judgement off and we make mistakes. We become weak, sick and bitter. Other people notice all this because unforgiveness shows in the face, words and actions of those who have it. They see it, even if they can't specifically identify what it is and they don't feel comfortable around it. When we choose to forgive, not only do we benefit, but so do the people around us."*
The point is God wants you to forgive as many times as it takes. He wants you to be a forgiving person and there is a freedom that comes with forgiving that only God can help you with.......let this be your prayer today;
PRAYER
Lord, help me to be a forgiving person. Show me where I am not. Expose the recesses of my soul so I won't be locked up by unforgiveness and jeopardize my future. If I have any anger, bitterness, resentment or unforgiveness that I am not recognising, reveal it to me and I will confess it to You as sin. Specially, I ask You to help me fully forgive (name anyone you feel you need to forgive). Make me to understand the depth of Your forgiveness toward me so that I won't hold back forgiveness from others. I realise that my forgiving someone doesn't make them right; it makes me free. I also realise that You are the only one who knows the whole story, and You will see justice done.
Help me to forgive myself from the times I have failed. And if I have blamed You for things that happened in my life, show me so i can confess it before You. Enable me to love my enemies as You have commanded in Your Word. Teach me to bless those who curse me and persecute me (Matthew 5:44-45). Remind me to pray for those who hurt or offend me so that my heart will be soft toward them. I don't want to become hard and bitter because of unforgiveness. Make me a person who is quick to forgive.
Lord, show me if I have any unforgiveness toward my mother or father for anything they did or did not do. I don't want to shorten my life by not honouring them and breaking this great commandment. And where there is distance between me and any other family member because of unforgiveness, I pray You would break down that wall. Help me to forgive every time I need to do so. Where I can be an instrument of reconciliation between other family members who have broken or strained relationships, enable me to do that.
I don't want anything to come between You and me Lord, and i don't want my prayers to be hindered because I have entertained sin in my heart. I choose this day to forgive everyone and everything, and walk free from the death that unforgiveness brings. If any person has unforgiveness towards me, I pray You soften their heart to forgive me and show me what I can do to help resolve this issue between us. I know that I cannot be a light to others as long as I am walking in the darkness of unforgiveness. I choose to walk in the light as You are in the light and be cleansed from all sin (1 John 1:7). Amen.
Scriptures for Meditation
Luke 6:37
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Proverbs 19:11
The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and His glory is to overlook a transgression.
Matthew 5:44-45
Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
1 John 2:11
He who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Matthew 6:14-15
If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
*Stomie Omartian, The Power of a Praying Woman(2006)
Scriptures for Meditation
Luke 6:37
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Proverbs 19:11
The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and His glory is to overlook a transgression.
Matthew 5:44-45
Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
1 John 2:11
He who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Matthew 6:14-15
If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
#inspired...ann #WiseQuotes
*Stomie Omartian, The Power of a Praying Woman(2006)
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