Forgiveness

Mark 11:25

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in Heaven may forgive you your sins.

Matthew 6:14-15

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. 

This is not a request.  This is not a suggestion.  This is not a thought.

This is a command from Jesus.  Jesus spoke these words. 

People are not perfect.  People will do you wrong.  People will talk about you behind your back, lie to you and break your heart.

Jesus says, "Forgive."

I know this is not easy.

If you feel that something is holding you back in your life and your feel stuck that you can not move forward,  take a moment and think who you are mad at, who are you holding a grudge against. 

Is there someone in your life that you are not speaking to, are not willing to forgive that person??

That might be what is holding you back. 

Forgiveness is the key to unlocking your past, letting it go and move on with your life.

I was sexually abused as a child by my Grandfather.  My family knew what was going on down in that dark, damp basement.  They knew why I was always hidden away in that closet with can goods and potatoes. 

I was hurt, scared, angry and no way was I going to Forgive anyone of them.

I developed an eating disorder, became an alcoholic, and was cutting myself daily.  I was a mess, because of my family.

They didn't care about me.  They went on with their lives, acting like I was the crazy one. 

I was only hurting myself by not letting go of the past.

My moth.

er told me once over the phone.  "You need to just get over it.  Call me when you do something interesting and fun."

I drove to the lake.  I walked into the cool lake water and swam out in the middle of the lake, thinking I would stay out there until I got tired, and will slowly drown. 

Some other people came out to the lake and swam out to me.  They had no idea I wanted to drown.  I believe that God sent those people there to stop me from killing myself. 

I was only hurting myself.

I finally forgave them.  Once I prayed:

Dear Lord,
I forgive my grandfather, my mother, sister and brother for what they did to me. Amen."

I felt as if a weight had been lifted off of  me. 

My family will never admit that they knew or acknowledge that it happened to me.  I will never get what I need from them. 

God made a way to heal me.  Forgive.

I wrote each of them a note, and mailed them.  I heard nothing from them about the letters

So I had to learn to forgive.  I had to learn to forgive my co-workers when they offended me.  I had to forgive the lady at the gas station who was rude to me.

I had to learn to be a forgiver.  I forgive and move on.  I no longer let any strife, anger stay inside of me, and that makes my life a lot better.

When Jesus was on the Cross.  Jesus said:

"Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

Luke 23:34

Next time you are mad at someone or want to argue with someone, take a deep breath and say, Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.  I forgive them.

You don't have to do it to their face, though that would be good.  You don't have to go and socialize with them.

Forgive them is all you have to do.