Forgiveness !!!!

Matthew 18:22-35: This is the parable about the unforgiving slave. One slave comes before a king owing a large amount of money to the king. The king had mercy and forgave him for what he owed and sent him on his way. This slave found one of his fellow servants that owed him money, and began choking him and demanding his money. Instead of having the same mercy and forgiveness the king had shown, he took his fellow servant and had him thrown in jail. When the master found out about the situation he summoned the slave. He then began asking why he did not show the same mercy and forgiveness that the master had shown him. At this point the master had the slave thrown in jail until he could pay what he owed. 

Forgiveness isn't an easy thing to just give. We as humans believe in justices for wrong doing, and the stronger the punishment the better. We condemn those who are caught doing wrong, when we have our own sin that we deal with on a daily basis hanging over us. God has shown us love and mercy which brings us forgiveness. He gave his only son so we would have a straight path to him with no one between telling us how bad our sin is. Our sin is no different than the murder who sits in jail, or the person that steals from the store, or the person who is having an affair. No greater, No less in Gods eyes We ALL have sinned and fall short. Romans 3:23. It's what we do with the pain and hurt when someone has caused pain in my life because of their sin. I've learned through many years, and recently Forgiveness! realizing we are all struggling with sin of some sort, and ours just may not hurt someone but ourselves like over eating, addictions, and even not taking care of our bodies as God instructed. 

Forgiveness is something we view as a gift to others, when God sees it as a must for us to live a holy life. Holding on to hurts and pain that others have caused does nothing to the offenders, but it causes the peace that God intended for us to be stripped away. We sit at night stewing over what people have done, what pain actions have caused, and how God should send his wrath on those who hurt me. But is that what God showed us? Is that what Jesus showed the disciples when he walked with them? yes there are consequences for actions but that's God's area not mine. My job is to forgive even if I don't want to, even if it's hard, even if it's the last thing I want to do. Forgiveness brings peace not to just me, but to the person that has caused the pain when you voice the forgiveness to them. Because now God has be released to work in their lives without spewing our hurt and pain to bring more separation from God, or his voice being drowned out in the pain. 

I have dealt with major situations over the course of many many years, situations where many would have turned and ran away, leaving everything behind. The pain was sharp and still is, the pain caused mistrust and still does, the pain caused confusion on where is God, and at times it still does. Forgiveness hasn't taken the sharp pain away, but it has allowed me to free myself to move forward without trying to condemn another person. It has allowed me to let God deal with the situation, it has allowed me to find a peace I've longed for and still strive for. I'm free to allow God to move within the situation, and I can just sit back knowing I'm in my fathers hands and he will help me through mine. 

A wise Pastor instilled into my mind, Romans 8:1 " Therefore; no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus". If God can bring no condemnation for all I've done, can I not do the same for the person who hurt me? My human side says NO, but my heart and soul says I must! 

I wanted to share a quote from my Journal back in March 2019 , 

I can only Imagine!

I can only imagine how forgiveness can change circumstances.

How releasing wrongs can cause freedom for me

How allowing pain to turn to forgiveness can bring peace

I can only imagine what life will be like when forgiveness is given and pain left behind

I can only imagine. 

Well over the year I've grown through the pain, and moving into a life a peace. Allowing forgiveness to be given and allowing God to move and heal. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE... Not any more I am seeing!