THROUGH FORGIVENESS

To forgive is not to say, “What you did was okay.” It is to say, “I refuse to let what you did imprison me.”

Forgive each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Message:

At first, bitterness feels strong, like protection, justice, and control. However, it solidifies and becomes integrated into the body over time. It changes the way you show up, trust, and love. All of a sudden, the wound that was supposed to be temporary becomes permanent.

There is no space for peace to grow when your heart is constricted around resentment.

However, everything is altered when we are expected to forgive from a position of having been forgiven. Perhaps we might consider waiting for perfect apologies before letting go of our suffering, since God did not wait for our confessions to be perfect before showing mercy.

Before you even knew to ask, Christ fully and freely pardoned you. When you show them the same grace, you thrive because you deserve peace, not because they deserve it.

The statement "This pain will not define my future" is interrupted by forgiveness.

Forgiveness must be established within rather than externally because sometimes the apology and dialogue never occur. And that's when grace comes into play.

Recall that some memories come back, some scars return, and certain triggers renew the pain, so you might need to forgive more than once.

And each time, you repeat softly:

"I release this freely."

Not because it didn't matter, but rather because your peace of mind is more important.

Midweek Challenge:

Compose a letter of forgiveness, let go of the burden; you don't have to send it.

Prayer:

Give me the ability to forgive where it hurts, Lord. Heal what rage attempted to conceal. Bring my heart back to serenity. Amen.