Living Changed: ForgivenessSample

Moving Forward

Sometimes we feel like others don’t deserve our forgiveness for what they’ve said or done. We feel justified in withholding forgiveness from them, but in reality, we’re only storing up more anger, bitterness, and sadness. Forgiving others actually gives us the freedom to move forward from our pain.

Just because we’ve been hurt in the past doesn’t mean we should shut others out or shut down our hearts. We shouldn’t put the sins of people from our past on those we meet in the future. That limited life is not what God wants for us.

When we choose to surrender to God’s will for our lives and forgive daily, we can walk through every day as a restored child of God. We can be available, engaged, and transparent with the people in our lives, knowing that God is our unfailing protector. We can live from an identity that comes from who Christ says we are, not from what others say about us.

In my experience, wounded people wound people. When we’re able to see that those around us are wounded too, they don’t become our enemy just because they’re hateful to us. We begin to recognize that something in their past causes them to act out of their pain. It should ignite our compassion, not our anger. Like us, they are walking wounded in need of forgiveness, healing, and restoration. 

We have a very real enemy, but it’s not the people who hurt us. It’s a spiritual enemy who wants to destroy our joy, peace, and relationships. Even after we forgive, we have to stay vigilant. Our enemy will do whatever he can to drag us back into our pain and cause destruction in our lives. We must put on the full armor of God every day and combat the enemy’s schemes by forgiving others as Christ first forgave us. 

With God’s help, we can get to a place where we trust Him completely with our past and our future. He uses what’s happened in our lives to draw us closer to Him. He builds our faith up until we know He will heal us again because He healed us before. He gives our pain purpose by using us to encourage someone else through their struggle. 

When we surrender our pain and allow God to heal us, we can freely forgive others and be grateful for whatever happens because we know He will use our story for His glory. We’re called to love more and forgive more as we become more like Jesus. 

As we wrap up this plan, commit to continuing the hard work of forgiving others. Consider rereading this plan as you trust God to heal your hurts, one layer at a time.

We pray God used this plan to minister to your heart.
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