Marriage MattersSample

The Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness brings personal freedom. Unforgiveness suffocates! Recently I asked my father-in-law the key to his 70 years of marriage. He said that the secret ingredient to 70 years of love was forgiveness. Since all of us are messy and will be on both sides of the forgiveness issue, we all need loads of grace and forgiveness. This is not a one-sided scenario.

All human beings are beautiful but messy… #beautifulbutmessy. Each of us is beautiful because God doesn’t make junk. Actually, He calls you His masterpiece. The first phrase of Ephesians 2:10 reads, "For we are God’s masterpiece" (NLT). Other translations say that we are God's "accomplishment" (CEB), "workmanship" (ESV, KJV), or "God's handiwork" (NIV). In addition, you were fearfully and wonderfully made…beautiful. You were knit and known by a good good Father Creator. You were assigned purpose in your days. However, all of us beautiful individuals are also messy because of inherited sin. We are all sinners. It would not be right for us to “throw stones” at one another. That would be like a sinner calling a sinner a sinner. We all live in this human condition/dilemma together…beautiful but messy. 

Our souls were not designed for the anger, bitterness, depression, and malice that comes from unforgiveness. It is so unhealthy and unsatisfying. However, we all married imperfect human beings. Our original Divine Design was all of Him in all of us!

We don’t always forgive others because they deserve it, but we forgive others because we deserve the peace of mind that it affords. Decide ahead of time that you will forgive others so that it will be your natural reaction, rather than resentment. Unforgiveness is like drinking a bitter poison but expecting the other person to die. We think that holding grudges of unforgiveness harms the other, but we are actually just harming ourselves.

The willingness to forgive is not just a sign of great maturity but also of great wisdom. 

Knowledge is knowing we should forgive, but wisdom is actually doing it. Unforgiveness also messes with your health, not just your peace of mind.

Here are a few reasons to forgive:

·  To free us from anger and bitterness

·  To allow us to live in our divine design 

·  To free up space for our health and peace

·  To release us from the torment of the issue

·  To free us to be effective in the present

·  To ensure that God will hear and answer our prayers

Forgiveness is not ignoring or disregarding a wrong done. It is not based on feelings but based on a choice. The TRUTH is that Christ is the source of all forgiveness!

We will all struggle with forgiving others, ourselves, and battling offense if we don’t find peace over just how forgiven we are in Christ. It is a FINISHED WORK. Walk in that truth!

We have His forever forgiveness! Let His forgiveness flow into you and then out to others through you!

Ponder:

Have you considered the idea of forgiving someone even before they hurt you because you know the value of that choice? What are areas of unforgiveness where you need to let God bring you into peace and healing?

Prayer:

Lord, You have forgiven me of much. Help me to let go of past grievances and choose to extend forgiveness and receive new peace of mind. I need Your strength and power through me.