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There are many moments in life when we are tempted to hold a grudge and
not forgive those who have done something wrong against us. What we must
realize is that forgiveness is a necessity of life. We must have a
forgiving heart because holding onto the pain is only to our detriment.
We are the ones who will suffer because we refuse to forgive the wrong
that we’ve encountered. Instead of forgiving and letting go, we will be
holding onto the hurt, pain and poison of those thoughts that will keep
repeating in our minds. But if we choose to forgive, we will be releasing
all of that hurt, pain and poison and we will be freeing ourselves from
those strongholds that we kept ourselves in. We should always remember
and keep in mind that forgiveness is to our benefit even more than to that
one whom we forgive. Yes they may benefit because their hearts may be a
little less burdened knowing that they've been forgiven, but our hearts
benefit even more. (Matthew 18:21-35) (Matthew 6:15)
We will be freeing ourselves from the past so that our future is wide open
and ready to be taken a hold of. Our minds will be clearer because it
will not be fogged down with the negative thoughts that kept repeating
over and over and our hearts will be more open to loving others because
the hatred and unforgiveness that resided in our hearts will be gone. The
benefits to forgiving are too numerous to count and when we refuse to do
so, we are the ones who lose in the end. Remember, Jesus said if you have
anything against anyone, forgive them so that your Heavenly Father may
also forgive you of your sins. Be encouraged to let go of the past if you
need to and start living for your future. Life is too short to hold on to
what someone did to us in times past. The Bible says our life is like a
vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. Don't allow
your short time on this earth to be spent wallowing in hatred and
unforgiveness. Move forward with your life in happiness and use it to be
a benefit to all those around you who love you. (Mark 11:25) (James 4:14)
I hope this message encourages your heart to be quick to forgive. Don't
hold on to that hurt for years, but rather forgive quickly and move
forward with your life.
SWEET FORGIVENESS
“Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge.” I saw this wonderful old saying
again in a book recently. It got me to thinking about all the times that I
have been able to forgive others in my life and all the joy that it has
brought me. One memory stands out particularly well. I was a young boy
spending a week at 4-H camp during the Summer. I was having a great time
and enjoying everything about it except for another young boy about my
age. To say we didn’t get along would be an understatement. We spent most
of the week irritating, insulting, and picking on each other. Words
finally came to blows on the next to last day of camp. We got into a fist
fight which I lost. Thankfully, older boys broke it up before I was hurt
too much. I spent the rest of the day alone, sulking and stewing in my own
anger.
The next day my spirits were lifted, however, when my Mom brought the boys
in our cabin some of her delicious homemade pizzas. I was enjoying a few
slices of it when I saw the other boy sitting by himself at the bottom of
the steps outside. He seemed very lonely right then. I am not sure what
moved me to do so, but I took my pizza down and shared it with him. It
made all the anger and pain inside me go away. We became friends after
that. I never got into another fist fight either. I had found out that
sharing and forgiving were way more fun and a lot less painful.
Forgiveness truly is the sweetest revenge. It can turn an enemy into a
friend. It can free a heart from the chains of anger, hatred, and pain. It
can open a soul to the sweetness of love and joy once again. It can help
you to live by the Golden Rule and to create a Golden Life. It can bring
you back to oneness with God in everything you think, feel, and do. That
is why I often pray, “God help me to forgive, help me to give, and help me
to love.” May your life always be full of sweet forgiveness then. May you
always delight in its Heavenly charms.
By Joseph J. Mazzella
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind
one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
1 John 4:10-12 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved
us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God
so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at
any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is
perfected in us.”
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: I ASKED GOD...
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem102.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: JESUS MY DELIVERER
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony136.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
