Thursday, August 17, 2023

Forgiveness changes You.

 


I heard a profound statement while ‘surfing’ social media reels.  I know, it sounds funny but stay with me for a minute.


Forgiveness does not mean you forget.


We don’t forgive and forget.

I have condemned myself many times over the years for thoughts that return about those who hurt me.  “I forgave that person Lord! Why am I thinking about what happened to me again?”  “What am I doing wrong?”

Well, here’s a news flash.  We DON’T Forget.   Unless we have a brain abnormality, we remember those who hurt us.

We aren’t God.  He forgives and He never brings up my sins again.  He forgives me when I repent from my sin and gives me another chance.  There are no third chances with God.   Hebrews 8:12 says, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”  No More.  Only second chances.  He turns His back and forgets our sin.  How awesome is that?




However, we are human.  We don’t forget.  And the enemy knows this fact.  The enemy also uses this against us and gets in our head as judge and jury condemning us saying we are terrible because: we remembered what happened - so we must not have forgiven them for what they did. 

Don’t let the enemy get a foothold in your mind.  

Forgiveness is not a one-time action. It is an ongoing daily action. 

We have the opportunity to forgive every time we remember what happened.  It is a daily opportunity to implement forgiveness so we can receive the blessings God has for us.  We can break the chains that bind our mind.  I am no longer held hostage by my unforgiveness.  I forgive daily as I remember, or as the enemy brings it to my consciousness.


Remember - forgiveness does not change the person who hurt you.  Forgiveness changes you.  They may never change.  You need to change to move on and to grow in your walk.  You don’t want to stagnate in the swamp of unforgiveness.

I love this statement I heard many years ago, “Keeping unforgiveness in your heart is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”  How sad but how true is this?

Keep forgiving… and then, forgive yourself.  You need to forgive yourself too.  We aren’t perfect.  There is only One Perfect God.  We are made in His image, but we will not be whole until we meet Him face to face.  Let that thought release your perfectionism and forgive yourself.

Unchain your mind and let God renew your spirit today!

Let forgiveness Change You!

 

Psalm 103:12

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Hebrews 8:12

For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

1 Corinthians 13:12 

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.


Link to what inspired this blog:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1745317552553548


                                              Copyright © 2022 Peggy A. Priest. All Rights Reserved.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Wisdom and lemon meringue...

  Can I share a story my son shared with me? First - let me share a story from 1979. Just a couple years ago... I was a very determined...