Forgiveness Is Freedom - for Everyone! Sample

How Janie Got Free 

As Christians, we know that it's important for our own hearts to forgive those who have hurt us. But could it be that forgiveness not only sets us free, but it can set free the one we’re forgiving too? Read on. 

Janie’s Story: I always taught a lesson on forgiveness during class at Bible school. One day afterwards, one of my students — let’s call her Janie — came to my office and said, “Ms. Karen, can I tell you a story that happened after I heard your lesson?” 

Of course I wanted to hear it! Janie explained that before she came to Bible school, she had been a student at a university. Actually, Janie confided that God had called her to the ministry and to Bible school, but she was running away from that plan, so basically, she was out of God’s will being at that university. 

One day she accepted a young man’s invitation to go out on a date. Tragically, at the end of that date, the young man tried to rape her. Thankfully, she got away and wasn’t physically harmed, but the episode shook her up very badly. She was jumpy and fearful, she cried often, she couldn’t sleep; it had even started affecting her health. 

Not long after, Janie left the university, came to Bible school, and heard my lesson on forgiveness. Janie realized that she needed to forgive this young man who had tried to rape her, so with a heart full of faith (from having heard the Word) she prayed to forgive him at the end of class. 

“After I prayed to forgive him, I felt so free!” she told me with a smile. “I slept well that night and just noticed a sense of peace in my heart that had been missing for so long.” I rejoiced with her! There’s really nothing more satisfying for a teacher than to hear someone put into practice what’s been taught, and to have it work in their lives. God is so faithful to perform his Word. 

“But wait, Miss Karen, that’s not all!” she said, her eyes wide. “The story gets much better!”