21 Days to Building a Faith Filled Family - Audio DevotionalSample

Forgiveness and Healing in Your Family

Hello friend. Today’s step in our journey is incredibly important. We’re going to talk about forgiveness and healing in your family.

Before we do, let’s pray.

Dear Lord, we come before you today seeking your grace and healing for our families. Help us to understand the importance of forgiveness and show us how to extend it to others as you have extended it to us. Amen.

I encourage you to make yourself comfortable and dedicate 100% of yourself to Jesus for the next 15 minutes. If you’re listening to the audio, follow my voice.

Forgiveness. This might be an easy topic for you if you grew up in a family, or currently living in a family that easily requests forgiveness and prioritizes forgiving others. However, most of us didn’t grow up in and don’t live in those types of families.

Most of us have experienced unforgiveness in families, and have a difficult time forgiving those that have hurt or injured us.

What type of family did you grow up in? Was it one that prioritized forgiveness and reconciliation? That might even be the home you live in now. Do you prioritize forgiveness? Take a moment to reflect on that

[PAUSE FOR REFLECTION]

In Matthew 18:21-22, Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him. Jesus responds, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." This shows the great unlimited forgiveness of God, and encourages us to forgive in a similar way.

Even if we understand this, it is easier to think about forgiveness than it is to actually forgive. Especially when somebody has hurt you or one of your family members.

But, forgiveness is essential for maintaining healthy relationships in a family. When someone in the family hurts another, it can create bitterness, anger, and resentment. Holding onto these negative feelings can damage relationships and cause distance between family members.

The conscious act of forgiving others allows us to let go of those negative emotions and move forward in love and unity. Forgiveness allows healing to begin to take place.

When we forgive someone who has hurt us, we release ourselves from the pain and hurt that we have been carrying. It allows us to move on and start the healing process.

Take a moment to reflect on any hurt or pain that you or a family member may be carrying. Is there someone that you need to forgive? Do you know specifically what it is that you need to forgive? Pray for the strength to forgive and ask for God's healing to begin in your heart.

[PAUSE FOR REFLECTION]

Stay here as long as you need. This could be heavy for you. So, pause this part of the journey if you need to and let God work in you towards forgiveness. This may not come today.

[PAUSE FOR REFLECTION]

In Colossians 3:13, it says, "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." This reminds us that we are called to forgive others as God has forgiven us.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetfulness. Let’s be clear. Forgiveness doesn’t mean going back into the same situation that caused pain. Like a fence in the backyard of a home near a busy street, boundaries are a wonderful tool to use. Yes, that fence is meant to keep things out, but it’s also meant to protect those inside.

I want you to think about how God’s Word is full of forgiveness stories. The greatest being Jesus on the cross forgiving those that crucified Him because they didn’t understand what they were doing. Sometimes people can hurt unintentionally. That doesn’t change the pain, but it can help us understand the intention.

If your story includes pain, but doesn’t include forgiveness, I encourage you today to take the first step of forgiveness with God. Ask Him to begin to prepare your heart to forgive at a future date. It is a process and it does take time. Forgiveness is not a feeling, it’s an action. It is something that you, and I have to wake up every morning and consistently choose to walk in. We get to choose to extend grace and love to those who have hurt us. The same way God extended grace and love to us through Jesus.

I’ll leave you with Jesus. He is one that knows how to forgive. Ask him for direction. Ask him for wisdom. Begin the process of forgiveness and reconciliation in your family.

I’ll talk to you tomorrow.