 |
| Forgiveness Is A Choice |
You can forgive by saying to yourself and to God,
I forgive her, I forgive him, I forgive them.
Forgiveness is a choice that we make, just like the choice we can make to be happy against all odds.
Just choose to say to yourself that you forgive someone, even though you feel you can't. Choose to say it to God even if you feel like you hate the person. When we are obedient, the heart feeling eventually comes.
Our job is to be obedient. God will do the rest in our hearts and spirits.
This guidance does not include actions after forgiving, such as,
- what you should do regarding those that you forgive,
- whether or not you should approach the person(s) and tell him/her that you forgive them. Often we don't have that option, so it's a different subject than forgiveness between you and God.
For now, just focus on the basics of confessing forgiveness to yourself and to God. Don't bite off too much. God is not trying to burden you. God is leading you to a place where sincere forgiveness will be not traumatic but automatic, no matter what the offense. He want you to become strengthened to where you will not allow the flesh to afflict you about forgiveness.
In 2 Corinthians 2:8-11, Paul talks about forgiving through obedience and how Satan can take advantage of us if we refuse to understand.
8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ,
11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Take baby steps and just say it.
No one has to know at this time when you find it so very difficult to forgive. You
don't have to try to say it to anyone else at this time. When we are obedient
in private, God always rewards us in the open. He is always faithful to strengthen us.
