The Forgiven
This week marks the half way point of DTS lecture phase. So far I've been thrown all over the place, learning new things about God, learning new things about myself. Every lesson a valuable one, but too many to share in one blog post.
Today I want to talk about forgiveness.
No one really likes to talk about forgiveness. Why is that? Is it because it takes a valued part of us away? That valued part of us that we don't like to give away is our pride. It take humility to either offer forgiveness or admit you've done wrong and ask for it.
So far I've had to do both. I won't go into detail about either of them, but just know that I'm speaking from some kind of experience.
To forgive someone doesn't do anything for them, its all about you and your relationship with God. When someone sins against you and you stay in unforgiveness, you in turn become the one who lives in sin. To pridefully hold onto that sin that someone committed against you musters up bitterness and hatred toward that person. Mankind isn't made for bitterness, we're made to love one another, to care for one another, but that's next to impossible when you have bitterness toward a brother or a sister, a mother or a father, a friend, and enemy.
To forgive isn't a feeling, its a willed action. It may not feel like you've forgiven a person the first time you say you do forgive them, but the more and more you focus your mind and spirit on forgiving that person, the more you feel set free from the bondage of unforgiveness.
On the other hand, asking for forgiveness is just as important. Ask from both God and the person you've wronged. To come to that place of humility where you know you've done wrong is exactly where God steps in and brings you back up. He restores you.
Talk to God about what you've done, don't just ask for forgiveness from a list of things you've done wrong, that's not what He wants. He wants to sit and talk to you and help you through the pain and trouble.
If you still feel like you're in the wrong, don't ask God for the ability to forgive yourself, only God is the one who can forgive you of your sins. Instead, ask God to show you that you've been truly forgiven. You have been truly forgiven. God doesn't want to condemn you for your sins, He wants to know you, to have relationship with you.
Know that the Lord desires to come close to you. He wants to know your inner most desires. He wants you to rely on Him for the small choices in your life, for everything. It starts with forgiveness. We all have someone we need to forgive. Ask God for the strength, then will you be able to pursue a true and genuine relationship with the Lord. Push into Him, lean on Him, rely in Him, trust in Him, love Him. He's a good father
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 ESV)
