Forgiveness: A Healing ForceSample

Absolute Freedom

Forgiveness is the secret of absolute freedom. Forgiveness brings freedom from those that have hurt you. The sweetest revenge you will ever experience is to totally forgive and forget the incident; then you will be free. 

If you choose to hold on to the violation, you create a personal prison, allowing the offender to hold you captive. You should not allow someone else’s foolish actions to shape your destiny or allow your past to control your future. Forgiveness is the key that removes revenge, bitterness, and hatred from the soul. Jesus used His last breath on the cross to forgive the Romans who were executing Him. That was His last example to the church. 

During the dark days of the Korean War, a South Korean Christian was arrested by the communists and was ordered to be shot. When the communist commander learned that the foreigner was in charge of the local orphanage, he decided to spare the leader of the orphan but decided to shoot his 19-year-old son. The communist leader took the believer's son and shot him dead in front of his father and mother. The fortunes of war changed, and the young communist leader was captured by U.N. forces. He was tried and condemned. 

Before the execution was carried out, the Christian whose son had been killed came and pled for the life of this communist leader. The Christian said, "This man is young. If you will give him to me, I will train him in the ways of the Lord."  The U.N. forces granted this strange request, and the father took the murderer of his son into his home. He forgave him and showed him love instead of exacting revenge. 

This young man gave his heart to Christ and served the Lord as a missionary until the day he died. That is the power of forgiveness!

May the Lord bless you and may the Lord keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, giving you His peace…peace to know that Jesus Christ has paid the price. He has paid the price not only for us to be personally forgiven but also given us the power through the Holy Spirit to forgive others. Release your burden of unforgiveness and lay it at the feet of Jesus. Amen.