Matthew 6:14-15,  For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Oh, I know….. Forgiveness is not really a fun topic most of the time, but it is something that is good to tackle so you can move forward.  Let’s aim for a fresh start today.

I am not sure why holding onto a grudge or the desire for vindication is so appealing, but we sure seem to do it more often than we jump to forgive.  Holding on to grudges just causes anger and frustration in your life and then you cannot move forward.  It is so easy to get so consumed with the wrong that has been done that you become paralyzed in every other area of your life.  Your job suffers.  Your family suffers.  You can even become ill because you are holding on to that thing.  I am not saying that you don’t deserve justice, but let God bring justice to that situation.  Allow Him to be the one who takes care of it.  I totally get the desire to lash out and point out the wrong that has been done, but that becomes a consuming fire in you and then you can’t do what God is asking you to do.  

What you focus on, is what will rule your life, and the lives of those you love, and it will rule whether or not you are accomplishing what God is calling you to do.   I get it but t’s not worth holding onto that thing! God wants you to give the entire situation to Him.  If you want a good book to read of a great example of forgiveness read The Hiding Place by Corrie TenBoom.  Romans 12:19 says, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  Once again He is asking us to take our hands off and allow Him to do what He sees best and trust Him with it.  That is part of the whole growing process in your walk with Him.  It all begins with trusting Him regardless of how things look.  He loves you!

As we all know:  Not forgiving is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”  Most of the time, the person who has done wrong either doesn’t realize how badly they have hurt you or they don’t really care, sad to say so it isn’t worth your energy to hold on to it.  Give the situation and people over to God knowing that He will measure out justice to the degree that He knows is best and it may be far worse for that person than anything you can dish out or it may be that He can use the situation to draw them to Him to bring them into all He created them to be.  

I would like to encourage you to do what is right.  Don’t wait for the other person to make the first move! Do what God is asking you to do and give it all to Him.  Don’t drag that baggage into your new season of life.  Unforgiveness can keep you from moving into a new season.  You can’t move forward if you have a death grip on the past!  Ask Him to help you focus, one day at a time, on all that He has for you to do.  Tell Him that you are choosing to forgive even if you aren’t feeling it and ask Him to work in your heart to heal your heart and give you the ability to leave it all behind and move forward.  Mend relationships that are able to be mended and honor God in them.  You can forgive without instantly trusting that person, you may never trust them again, but you still need to forgive.  God loves you and He knows the hurt and pain you have been through but as long as you are clinging to it you are not giving Him the opportunity to avenge you and make the situation right.  Choose today to empty yourself of all of the unforgiveness, hurt, and anger.  Ask God to give you a fresh start and perspective so you can be released from all of that so you can move forward in your walk with Him.  Trust Him, knowing that His best is yet to come!

Quote:  “He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he, himself, must pass.”  ~ Lord Herbert