Unforgiveness

I dont know why, but memorizing scripture has never been easy for me....I am not overly concerned about it... because His word does penetrate my heart.., but I cannot, verbatim recite scripture....

anyways...getting to the point of this post

last week in church the pastor was talking about unforgiveness

and how it causes such torment within the Christian...we bury
it, we hide it, it sits in the pit of the gut...and the simple
mention of someone's name or a past experience can cause the whole
body to suffer.....GRRRRRRR.... when we don't forgive...

we are to forgive 70 times 7 or is it 70 in Christ Jesus...anyways,
I know it is a LOT !!

In 1995, a crime committed against my daughter caused me so much anger, hatred, disdain and turmoil that I was certain I could never forgive the man who caused it. It wore at me constantly, would rise up from the very pit of my stomach and eat away at me.....more-so after I was born again in 1999; I began to look for scriptures that would support the fact that I did not have to forgive this person....in 2004 I was preparing to be baptised and I was tormented by the unforgiveness I had in my heart towards this person....I went to the pastor and he asked me if I WANTED to forgive him and I said, "no, I would rather see him burn in hell"....

and as I spoke those words, the Holy Spirit came over me and I sobbed and sobbed knowing very well that Jesus had forgiven me and I also am to forgive others....Now, I did not go to this man sitting in his jail cell and express this to him face to face...but in my heart..in my heart.....I forgave him for his wrong doing...could I be kind to this man if I were to see him...I am assured, yes I could......because I know the love of Jesus...

A couple of incidents in the past four or five years have reminded me that some make a conscious choice to hold on to stuff....out of pride or control issues
or sheer stubbornness

it has been very prominent in my marriage, my husband and I both unwilling to let go of past hurts and incidents..always reminding each other that you did this or I did that...and how much it hurt.....and I have found that wihout forgiveness, relationships suffer, they can't be nutured, they can't grow......the never will change...

and to forgive someone means you are willing to release that person from their wrong doing or offense .....

so being the expert I am at unforgiveness, I just want to encourage anyone who is facing it today....

please don't withhold the love of Jesus from another...forgive as Jesus forgave you...rebuild that which has been severed or broken....

and bring glory to our Lord.


I think I remembered
the important parts of
the scripture
blessings
donna