Freedom From Guilt Through Forgiveness
Wednesday July 19, 2017
"Unforgiveness is like drinking a cup of poison and hoping the other person dies." These words or others similar to them are shared in many 12-step circles and are true no matter where we hear them.
Jesus taught his disciples: "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25 NIV)
We often live with underlying feelings of guilt when we refuse to forgive someone for harming us. No matter how many times we tell ourselves that we have legitimate reasons for our resentment, the grudge we hold, and the unforgiveness we cling to, we are still the ones who are suffering the consequences.
We harm some folks by our sins and others harm us by theirs. God has prepared a way forward for all of us. His way is to sort out our shattered relationships with confession, forgiveness, and healing through Jesus Christ. It’s not just for us, but for all, including those who have unfairly treated us.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16 NIV)
How do we put forgiveness into practice? We choose to let the person who harmed us “off our hook” knowing they are still “on God’s hook” until they admit wrong and seek His forgiveness. We acknowledge the hurt and hatred we are holding in our hearts as our own sin. We ask God to touch our emotional core and to heal us and set us free from all that has wounded us. Someone has wisely said, “When you forgive, you in no way change the past but you sure do change the future.” God's healing goes deeper than our deepest hurt. Let's receive that healing today and offer forgiveness so that we can be free from guilt.
Prayer: Loving Heavenly Father, Hold me close to Your heart and comfort me as I choose to forgive as I have been forgiven. AMEN
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