Forgiveness

“Can you recall a time when you fell short in your relationship with someone and needed to be forgiven? Or a time when you were wronged by someone and had to make a decision to forgive the person or carry a grudge? These situations cause us to gravitate in one of two directions: healing and reaping the rewards of personal freedom or facing the damage of bitter resentment. These choices, when made repeatedly over time, determine whether we will live a life of sadness or joy, a life of regrets or God’s best” (Brazelton, 79).

Did you know that choosing to not forgive can keep you from experiencing God’s absolute best for you? Unfortunately, many of us get so caught up in the trap of holding on to bitterness and unforgiveness that we end up living a life that is characterized by anger and resentment. Personally, I tend to stay away from people who hold onto grudges. Why? Because all they focus on is the bitterness, hurt, and anger that they have experienced and quite frankly, it ends up bringing me down. Who wants to be around that?

“People who forgive become less angry, more hopeful, less depressed, less anxious, less stressed, more confident, and they learn to like themselves more” (Luskin, 78).

As a woman of God, what are you known for? Are you known as a woman who forgives and allows God to take those hurtful experiences and turn them into something beautiful? Or do you tend to hold onto the hurts and allow them to “run” your life? If you desire to truly experience God’s best for you and your life, forgiveness must be a part of your vocabulary and daily life. You will experience much hurt, grief, and rejection in your lifetime. We live in a fallen world that is full of sinners. But the good news is that God knows everything that you have experienced and He promises to take the bad and make it into something good.

Let me challenge you this week to truly allow God to work in your life and in turn, open your heart to forgiveness. It will not be easy, but the end goal will be a life that is not only pleasing to God, but one that is filled with purpose and fulfillment. Who do you need to forgive this week?

Until next time!

Dr. Katie Brazelton, Live Big!, page 79.
Dr. Fred Luskin, Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness, page 78.