Forgiveness Is a Process

If we have any hope of finding the life that Christ died for us to have, a life full of love and grace beyond our imagination, we have to choose to overcome the kinds of difficulties that arise simply from having relationships with people.  We have to choose to leave this place of bitterness.  We have to choose to break our hardness of heart to find the healing and restoration that we have through Christ.

Many times, when we have trouble honoring our parents, our husbands and wives, our bosses and co-workers, our brothers and sisters, or even our pastors, it is because we have become offended.

Once we have become offended, we are faced with the temptation to hold on to the offense.  Giving in to this temptation will lead us on a path to the trap the enemy has set for us.  The path to freedom follows these two steps:

1) We have to recognize the offense.

2) We have to fight to be free of the offense.

Our path to freedom is found in forgiveness.  As hard as it is, forgiveness is ultimately one of the most important acts you can commit as a believer, and therefore it is one of our most important weapons. And unforgiveness is one of the enemy’s most important weapons he uses against us.

Who in your life has offended you so deeply that you are still carrying the offense?

Write their name down and a few of the details of the offense.  Begin to tell the Lord what He already knows.  You may be angry, bitter, resentful.  You may be justified to feel the way you do. But, it is just such a tangled up mess. And you aren’t free from it.  It’s keeping you from the fulness of a deep relationship with the Lord and with the important people in your life.

Start the process of forgiving today.  It isn’t hard to understand, but it may be difficult to do.  The reward is great, though and it is worth your effort.

Thank you.  God bless you - on your journey today!