Forgiveness
Letting It Go and Moving Forward
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which lie ahead.
Reasons Why We Must Forgive: Building Faith for Forgiveness
It is Biblical. Jesus was the author and finisher of Forgiveness.
Be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as Christ has forgiven you.
Forgiveness empowers an individual to love others with the true love of Christ.
Peter came and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone? Seven times?" "No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven! The Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who borrowed from him. One of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn't pay, so his master ordered he be sold—with his family, and everything he owned. The man fell down before his master and begged, 'Please, be patient with me, I will pay it all.' His master was filled with pity for him, and released him and forgave his debt. But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His servant fell down before him and begged for more time. But his creditor wouldn't wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. When other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him what happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart."
a sending away, a letting go, a release, pardon, complete forgiveness
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you…
Root Causes of Unforgiveness
Reasons why we think it is hard to forgive:
Thinking forgiveness is equivalent to agreeing with the offender's actions or behavior.
Fear of the discomfort of revisiting memories & past hurt.
Our flesh finds satisfaction in hateful thoughts or actions.
"When I kept silent my bones wasted away …my strength was sapped"
Unforgiveness gives the enemy a foothold in your life and blocks prayers from being answered
How Do We Forgive?
With the Love of God. (Not by power, might, by God's Spirit to forgive)
The love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts — we have that same Love
Love never fails.
Forgive them for they know not what they do.
Forgiveness is a decision we make by faith — not feelings
Forgiveness allows Christ to rid you of condemnation and guilt
Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says."
Time to let it go & get FREE