How can forgiveness be an act of freedom
The anger and resentment is released. There is a power in self-transformation. Not being able to forgive can be the source of festering anger, and anger keeps us in our ego.
This is exactly where the evil spirit wants us to stay. Harbouring resentment keeps us within ourselves. Jesus knew the danger of anger. In his Sermon on the Mount he equates anger with killing. Healthy anger regarding injustices we see can motivate us to good change, but unhealthy anger can spiral into hate and even murder.
He went so far as to say that reconciliation with neighbour was more important than a sacrifice to God. But what about the other person, the person who harmed us? Must I accept them back into my life and risk being hurt again? Not always. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting the true damage of the hurt. While Jesus sought for people to reconcile and be in relationship , he knew that conversion had to be mutual. When we offer the gift of forgiveness to another, the other person may not accept the gift.
A very helpful article. Mostly the hurt is so severe that it makes forgiveness difficult. So much great truth here! I just taught the youth about Joseph and how he cried when he saw his brothers. They sold him into slavery, yet he was overwhelmed to tears, to hear them speak of it. Forgiveness is such a great big wonderful blessing, both when we receive and when we give it. Many Thanks 8. Thanks for this encouraging reminder on the freedom in forgiveness!
Yes, I love posting Bible verses on the mirror in my bathroom so I remember them when I wake up, throughout the day and before I go to sleep. This is such an important reminder. I attended a discipleship retreat this weekend and we spent a lot of time praying that the spirit would reveal things we need to forgive. There truly is freedom in forgiveness.
Yes, I agree past hurts can build up over time without us even realizing it. Spending time in prayer is definitely an important part of forgiving others. I love that you take time to reflect on it and pray to God to release the burden of it. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Skip to content. Join the Community! Thank you! He is always the accuser, the destroyer. His intent is to bring guilt, fear, hopelessness, sin and accusation.
The ones who can upset us are those we are close to — husbands, wives, parents, sibling, primary authority figures, teachers, employers, friends and those we have high expectations of… These people have the potential to hurt us. Because of that, we can get into a pattern of judging them and thinking wrong thoughts about them which, in turn, produce accusation. Holding on to hurts and judgments is a luxury none of us can afford. It is like giving Satan a key to our house! Young Saul of Tarsus was there, watching the scene and approving of the stoning.
Forgiveness is an act of freedom that restores honest dialogue, shares true, and heartfelt feelings and acknowledges the consequences of an action. It admits that the wrong has caused a hurt that must be healed and squarely positions responsibility on the offender. The act of forgiveness recognizes our sinfulness and brokenness.
It also admits that the most saintly among us is capable of doing very grave and deep harm to another person. It sees that we all can be victims of our passions and works in progress that deserve unlimited chances to get it right.
With forgiveness, I release myself from the bonds of negativity and pursue a path of restoration, wholeness, and healing.
I do not forget the wrong nor do I dismiss it.