FREEDOM IN FORGIVENESS
Lydia Ingegneri
Forgiveness is crucial to the healing process in our lives. If we don’t forgive we won’t heal. Harboring unforgiveness eventually makes your life miserable because it keeps YOU in a place of bondage, not the person who wronged you. Unforgiveness is like your own personal prison, but forgiveness brings freedom and release.
Unforgiveness makes you a toxic person.
Here’s the thing with toxins - they leak! When our bodies carry toxins, we experience side effects of pain, headaches, nausea, and other discomfort. This is our bodies telling us something is wrong and we need to fix it! We are not designed to be toxic, therefore we have to be diligent to stay healthy and purge once in a while. It's the same with our emotions. We are designed to be emotionally and spiritually healthy.
Unforgiveness, if not dealth with, turns to anger, rage, even hatred. In other words, it makes you toxic. It's tough to hide those emotions or to pretend like they don't exist.
Here are some truths about the power of forgiveness.
1. When you forgive you release unhealthy emotional toxins, and allow yourself to heal.
Sometimes we are so hurt by other people that toxic emotions, thoughts, and behaviors seep into other areas in life, as well as your relationships. This negatively effects communication, responses and reactions, your thought life, your speech, and even intimacy in marriage.
2. When you forgive you release the miraculous power of God to work in you, and others!
A sign that He is at work in you is that you are able to let go and let God work in you and the person who wronged you. A result of this is a powerful release in your mind, emotions, and even your physical body. Forgiveness causes you to literally feel lighter, happier, and freer. If you've ever had to lift a heavy desk or carry a heavy box, you know the feeling of relief when you finally get to put it down.
“For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you. 25 Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings (against Him and others). 26 “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
3. When you forgive, your fellowship with Father God is restored.
Unforgiveness, and the evidence of it in our lives (anger, hatred, bitterness, wrath), are a sin and isolate us from God. The word tells us that we should not only forgive, but come before the Lord with clean hands a pure heart. Unforgiveness gives the enemy an open door to take advantage of you! Never go to bed angry. Do whatever it takes to settle the issue.
“Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down. 27 And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].”
“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah ”
The Holy Spirit power is available to you today, and every day! That is GREAT news! I encourage you today to be empowered by the Holy Spirit and forgive those who have wronged you. Perhaps you may need to forgive yourself from past mistakes, failures, or bad decisions. Come to Lord boldly yet humbly. Find freedom in forgiveness!
Till next time,
Lydia