Forgiveness Is For You

When Jesus was hanging on the cross suffering and dying, he looked out at those that were torturing Him & said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."  Jesus is the perfect example of forgiving others. Could we do that? Could we forgive someone that had hurt and wounded us so deeply? According to the Word, it is a must. The Word says stand forgiving that you will be forgiven. So, in other words if you don't forgive others for what they do, then God will not forgive you. I tell you right now, I will not allow someone to put me in a position to where I can't receive forgiveness from God. I have always been quick to forgive and to move on. Some friends have called me the "Rubber Band Girl" because I just keep snapping back into place!

There have been times in my life when someone hurt me so bad that I really didn't feel like I could go on or if I even wanted to for that matter. Just thinking about the hurt that had already transpired made me hurt all the more. Through hearing the Word, reading it, speaking it out and soaking up every bit of Jesus I could get, I have manged to be that overcomer that He promised that I would be. I made up my mind a long,long time ago that I am not going to hell for anyone!!  When someone hurts you, and choose to forgive them, it isn't a one time deal. It is a daily,I chose this day to forgive kind of situation. In fact years ago, I was manifesting chest pains, there was absolutely no reason for my chest to be hurting. This went on for 5 days. The fifth day being Sunday, I went to the altar and an elderly lady approached me and with her gift of word of knowledge, she said to me, dear one, you have unforgiveness in your heart, He will help you let that go. I thought to myself, she is looney tunes, I don't have any unforgiveness in my heart but, out of respect for her, I said ok. She looked at me and she said it is time for you to let it go and when you do your body will line up and will stop hurting. I was like how did she know I was hurting? I didn't say anything to her,  mind you I was new to all of this Holy Ghost stuff back then. I was really freaked out then! She said seek the Lord and He will reveal to you what needs to be done. I said yes maam. So I began to pray while I was at that altar and ask the Lord to help me, to show me, to reveal to me whatever I needed to know. I began to weep and to moan like someone in travail of birthing out a child and people that had wounded me, started popping into my head and the Lord would say forgive them, I would say ok Lord I forgive them, I forgive them, I forgive them! When I stood up from that altar the chest pains had gone and I felt amazing!

Forgiveness is essential to be able to walk out this Christian life. In order for us to walk in wholeness and wellness and be able to minister effectively to others we must forgive. When I think about all that the Lord has forgiven me for, it is easy for me to forgive others. I know that just like He forgave and fixed me, He can forgive and fix them too. We can't ever think that we are better than someone else. If it were not for the mercy and the grace of God I would definitely not be here right now! He pulled me out of a pit, when I had fallen in. He pulled me out of a pit when I was pushed in. He called to me to come out of the cave when I had walked in there to hide from the world and He has walked through countless valleys with me and brought me out victoriously on the other side. He is our wonderful, loving, compassionate Savior, Lord, King, Shepherd, Healer, Deliverer, Strong Tower, He is EVERYTHING!

We can't risk missing out on Heaven by keeping bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness in our hearts. He wants to keep us restored and renewed by the Word of God. This world will do it's fair level best to inflict pain on you. The Word says that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus comes to bring us life and more abundantly. Don't fall for the tricks of the enemy and get caught up in hatred, bitterness, anger, resentment and unforgiveness. It will kill you. It will strangle out the seed that is trying to blossom forth in your life. When people do stuff to us, we just have to turn them over to God and say Lord I can't deal with this person by myself, please help me. I give them to you God because I know that you make all things new and you are well able to bring life into this situation. I am not saying that we are to be doormats and let people use and abuse us, but, what I am saying is that we must love people, forgive them and let the Lord deal with them.

Holding onto unforgiveness just hurts us, not them. Because quite frankly most of the time that person couldn't care less if they tried. They are completely emotionally removed from the situation and you are still crushed and wounded by it and continue to be so because you keep talking about it, rehearsing it over and over again in your mind and refuse to let it go and forgive. Forgiveness is for us more than it is for them. Jesus looked down from the cross and said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Wow, what love and compassion and forgiveness! If you are struggling today with unforgiveness, bitterness or anger seek the Lord, He will help you to be an overcomer. How do I know this? I AM AN OVERCOMER!