THE KEY TO FREEDOM & BLESSINGS IN OUR LIVES

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“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” – Isaiah 43:25 –

We are God’s beloved and forgiven children. What a blessed Savior we have that while we were still sinners, He forgave us. His forgiveness is complete and infinite. We grasp the depth of His love for us when we come to understand that He drew us to Himself despite our sin. We need only accept His perfect forgiveness in our lives.

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” – C.S. Lewis

Because we have been so mightily forgiven, our Lord desires that we be forgiving of one another… even the underserving, the unrepentant. We are to cultivate hearts of forgiveness. There may be ones in our lives who we feel are not deserving of forgiveness. Yet we are not to withhold it from them. We remember the One who loved us when we were unlovable… who forgave us when we were undeserving.

“Forgiveness does not mean excusing.”  – C.S. Lewis

Forgiveness does not excuse the offending person. By forgiving, we are not saying that the wounds they caused us emotionally are okay. We are just releasing the hurt, and the offending one, to our compassionate God who alone can help us forgive. He frees us from the bondage that unforgiveness brings.

Forgiveness is never easy. Yet that does not absolve us of the responsibility to extend mercy and pardon. Those close to us can sometimes wound us the most because they mean so much to us. We need to remember that unforgiveness does not hurt anyone except ourselves. The other person may not be aware or even remember that they wounded our emotions. Our bitterness merely eats away at our own souls.

Perhaps you have someone in your life whom you believe is impossible to forgive. Share this with your loving Lord. He will understand. Take time with Him to review the months, years or lifetime that you’ve known this person. Forgive every offense that the Holy Spirit brings to mind. Leave it all with God. If we fail to deal with the past, it will well up and magnify any future offenses.

“Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.” – C.S. Lewis

Our Lord is patient… waiting for us to step out in forgiveness. To put aside our hurts, our rejection, our woundedness. Unforgiveness adversely affects our health… opens the door for the enemy… and hinders our blessings and answers to prayer.

Where there is unforgiveness, bitterness takes root placing a barrier between us and God. We can no longer be vessels through whom His love flows. We are distanced from our Father by the sin of unforgiveness. It is no wonder that our Lord longs for us to be forgiving.

When we forgive, God heals our hearts. His mercy touches our souls… healing our woundedness. We are caught up in the wonder of His love for us. We want nothing to hinder our connection with Him… nothing to block our answers to prayer. Through our hearts of forgiveness, His love and blessings can once again flow freely in our lives.

“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’” – Luke 23:34

We look to Jesus as the One with a true heart of forgiveness. At the cross, He demonstrates mercy of incredible magnitude toward those who accuse and mistreat Him. He asks His Father to forgive them. He does not excuse or condone what they have done. Instead, He puts aside all hurt and rejection so it does not hinder His relationship with the Father.

Forgiveness is the key to freedom and blessings in our lives. We can only genuinely forgive by the power of the Holy Spirit. When we allow God’s love to overtake our hearts, any unforgiveness is crowded out and cast aside. We sense His peace flowing over us as we experience the freedom of forgiveness. It no longer erodes away our love.

We leave all unforgiveness with the God of all comfort who comforts us with His love. Only through His love can we reach out in love to others. For those who are forgiven much love much. Our merciful God has forgiven us eternally. Allow His heart of forgiveness to grow and mature within you.