The Mrs. Rev Podcast: Even When it Hurts
There are opportunities every day for people to offend you and hurt you, so you have to make a habit of forgiving people. Your emotions will make you feel like it’s not a choice, but forgiveness is not a feeling or emotion. It’s not something you do when the person who hurt you changes or asks you for forgiveness. It’s a decision you make.
We know that forgiveness is a decision because God commands us to do it!
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” - Ephesians 4:31-32
When God gives you a command, it means it is a choice. He would never command you to do something you didn’t have the power to choose to do.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean they were okay for hurting you. It means that because of the grace given to us by Jesus Christ, we can release forgiveness. This is because forgiveness isn’t a transaction between you and the person who hurt you. It is a transaction between you and the Lord. You give an open door for the lord to heal your heart and give you a supernatural love for them.
Be honest with yourself and the Lord, and admit that you have unforgiveness.
Confront it.
Tell God that you are choosing not to live in unforgiveness.
Ask Him for help.
Faith won’t work if you are in unforgiveness. It will hinder your relationship with the Lord, and your prayers won’t be answered. In Luke chapter 5, Jesus demonstrates that faith and forgiveness work hand-in-hand. When we ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins, it releases healing to your body and mind as well. The same happens when you forgive others, you allow that same power to be released on your body and mind. Whenever there is unforgiveness, it blocks the flow of the power of God from being released in your life.
In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus tells a story about a servant who was forgiven from a large debt, but then was unwilling to forgive someone who owed him a much smaller debt. When you refuse to forgive, you are saying that God’s grace is not good enough for you. But instead of hurting the other person, you are only hurting yourself. We need to sow mercy so that we can reap mercy.
If you refuse to forgive you will become bitter, and bitterness will affect the way you see everything. It won’t be limited to one person who hurt you. You will become a bitter person.
Q: What are some of the other effects of bitterness that you have seen in your own life or in the life of someone you know? What would your life look like if you could get rid of those negative effects, both physically and mentally?
Forgiveness isn’t something we do in the natural. If it were a feeling, we would never do it. It can feel good to be a victim and let your emotions tell you that you can’t forgive and that you can never trust again. But when you ask God for help, God will release His power in your life to help you forgive.
In the same way, you need to be willing to forgive yourself and let go of things from your past. Acknowledge that when you asked God to forgive you, you are completely forgiven. There is no residue from your past! Ask the Lord to give you the grace to let go of your past mistakes and hurts.
Q: Do you find it harder to forgive yourself or to forgive others? Take it to the Lord in prayer and refuse to allow unforgiveness. Choose to walk in mercy and maturity, even when it is hard.
Pray This: Heavenly Father, thank you for your forgiveness. I never want to take for granted the amazing gift of grace that you gave to me and the power that comes with it. Today I’m asking you to help me to be honest with myself and to recognize any area of my life where I am holding on to unforgiveness. I want to honor the people in my life by releasing forgiveness, and I want to remove anything that would block your power from flowing in my life. I love you, and today I’m releasing my hurts to you. Thank you for helping me to forgive. In Jesus’ name, Amen!