Forgiveness

I have been battling with forgiveness for a couple of months now. So when I ran across this bible study - it started to open my eyes and more importantly my heart. This was written by my pastor and I thank God daily for his belief in God and his conviction to teach only the word.

How heavy is a glass of water? It depends on how long you have to carry it. A minute is no problem and after an hour your arm might start to ache. But after 24 hours you'll probably be in bad shape! In each instance the glass weighs exactly the same, but the longer you carry it the heavier it feels. And its the same with a grudge, it can get so heavy it stops you from living. People will hurt you; that the reality of sharing this planet with others. Sometimes it is intentional, other times they have no idea they upset you, far less broken your heart. Does that mean that you should go around pretending nothing's wrong? No, the first step is to confront your feelings. And when the hurt is deep, its even harder to forgive. And when the hurt is deep, its even harder to forgive. That’s when you need to pray “Lord, change my heart and heal me.” Jesus said, “Pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:28 NIV) When you do that something unexpected happens; your heart softens and you start seeing them through God’s eyes instead of your raw emotions. Jesus said: “If you have anything against someone, forgive – only then will your heavenly father…wipe your slate clean.” When you sow un-forgiveness you reap un-forgiveness – even from God.

Isaac is a prime example of practicing forgiveness. During a drought he dug wells that his enemies moved in and claimed. But instead of retaliating, he moved on and dug new ones. As a result God filled Isaac’s empty wells and promised to bless him, and his children too! (Gen 26:22-23). And he fills the emptiness in your life, when you forgive those who hurt you.

more to come.....................