Going After The Heart...
It's that time of the year,
Family is gathering,
The ones you love,
The ones that make you laugh,
The ones you embrace as soon as they walk through the door,
And then there's the others...
The ones that rub you wrong,
The ones that don't agree,
The ones that are so difficult,
The ones that can step on all your wrong buttons,
And you can't wait to be away from them,
For another year.
However, before the wave of family gatherings arrive,
It's a great time to reflect and see,
What does Jesus have to say about that?
When someone can trigger us,
When we can't stand someone,
When someone makes us cringe,
What does that say about us?
When one thing that a person says,
Can spin a thousand thoughts in our head,
Thoughts that anger,
Thoughts that frustrate,
Thoughts that harden,
Thoughts that judge,
Thoughts that criticize,
What does that say about us?
We're going after the HEART the issue of... UNFORGIVENESS.
Before the holidays arrive,
I want to gently remind you to look at your heart,
And ask the question, "Holy Spirit, is there any unforgiveness in me?"
"Am I holding on to an offense?"
"Am I holding on to anything at all?"
"Holy Spirit, what burden do you want me to let down at Your feet?"
"Holy Spirit, what do you want me to surrender?"
The truth is, when we can't stand someone,
When someone triggers us,
When someone grades us and rubs us the wrong way,
There is something we are holding onto against them,
And that is a form of unforgiveness.
As long as you're holding onto it,
You have not given it to Jesus.
As long as you feel like they don't deserve forgiveness,
That's like drinking poison expecting the other person to die.
Jesus had very strong words regarding unforgiveness.
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Jesus is only so stern about forgiving others because it's so harmful to us,
NOT the other person.
The person holding the anger and resentment is the one slowly rotting away inside.
There's poison in your soul that is scientifically linked to cancer.
At Stanford Medicine's Surviving Cancer site, there's an article called "The Art of Forgiveness" - click here
"Often, people with cancer have grievances or hurts... the way one forgives a specific grievance is the same, no matter whether the grievance is with yourself, another person, or God."
At NIH (National Institute of Health) National Library of Medicine, there's a study on "Anger and cancer: an analysis of the linkages" - click here
Scientifically speaking, the harmful nature of unforgiveness is not a Bible only concept.
Jesus knew what He was talking about when He came on so strong against unforgiveness.
Unforgiveness separates us from God,
And when that happens, death is inevitable.
That's why Jesus spoke against it so strongly..
So who is the relative that you had a disagreement with years ago that you still haven't healed with?
Who is the parent or sibling that you have awkward choppy hugs with?
Who is the friend or business partner that you feel like did you wrong?
Logically speaking, we're actually foolish to hold onto such a burden as inforgiveness.
As Xena the warrior princess once said (yes, u remember that show? anyone?)...
"Not the hated, but the hater has a torment that's greater."
Pretty smart for a TV show, right?
Unforgiveness is truly a slow killing, toxic poison that rots out your personality and your life.
Here are some scenarios to consider...
- If you have a tough exterior that you can't seem to soften up even when it's hurting people, ask Holy Spirit, if there's any unforgiveness in your life.
- If you seem to be emotionally unavailable even to your loved ones, ask Holy Spirit, if there's any unforgiveness in your life.
- If you find yourself to be overly skeptical of people and untrusting, ask Holy Spirit, if there's any unforgiveness in your life.
- If there's people you have cut out of your life and are "dead" to you, ask Holy Spirit, if there's any unforgiveness in your life.
- If there's people that make your eyes roll just by hearing their name, ask Holy Spirit, if there's any unforgiveness in your life.
- If you find yourself in ongoing hopelessness and pessimism, ask Holy Spirit, if there's any unforgiveness in your life.
Part of the characteristic of unforgiveness is NOT letting go. It's the act of holding on to things you shouldn't. It can spread like cancer to other parts of your life.
Ask "Holy Spirit, what am I holding on to?".
Wait and listen.
Write down what comes to you.
Remember that...
You forgiving them is not for them, it's for YOU.
You forgiving them doesn't mean you approve of what they did, but you are simply releasing yourself from the toxic death sentence of unforgiveness.
You forgiving them doesn't make them right, it set's you free.
You forgiving them doesn't let them "get away" with it, it let's you get away from death.
You're not doing "them" a favor by forgiving them,
You're doing YOURSELF a favor by removing the slow rot in your soul.
It doesn't matter how many times you have been wrong or by whom.
Any form of unforgiveness kills you all the same if you hang onto it.
"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him."
Forgiving others will help you become free-er in your soul.
Forgiving others will start the healing process of your heart.
"And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."
And remember, sometimes we need to forgive our SELF.
You may need to forgive yourself for some really bad decisions in life,
Or for hurting people you didn't mean to,
Or for not protecting people you wanted to,
Or doing some awful, disgusting things as a sinful human.
It's ok,
Ask God for forgiveness,
Repent (turn from your ways),
And forgive yourself.
That's what Jesus told us to do.
Jesus doesn't want you to keep beating yourself.
That would break His heart to see you do that.
There is nothing we've done that Jesus cannot make better,
There is not mistake too daunting or too large or too disgusting,
That Jesus can't turn into something new and amazing.
This is one of the beautiful things about Jesus.
When you believe in Jesus,
You can pin your hopes on the fact that,
Jesus can heal ALL wounds and mistakes,
Even the ugliest of the ugliest,
Even the most damaged relationships,
Even the most broken hears,
Jesus can not only heal it but make it as good as new.
"I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten"
"For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord"
Always remember, when you forgive yourself and others, it will remove barriers between you and God to open up new hope, blessings and provisions from our Dear Heavenly Father who loves us so much.
When you remove the dark, toxic boulders of unforgiveness between you and God, the fullness of God's plans can be unleashed into your life.
Expect good things.
That's what HOPE is, the expectation of good things to happen.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
So have HOPE in the Lord,
And let go of all toxic burdens,
Let go of all unforgiveness
And have a Happy Thanksgiving!
You will be VERY happy you did.
"Dear Heavenly Father,
I declare in Jesus name,
That I choose to forgive EVERYONE that has hurt me,
Including myself.
I choose in Jesus name to lay it all down at your feet,
I choose to surrender the burdens to You,
Take it from me Jesus,
I no longer want it,
It is Yours to take.
Free me from my burdens,
Wash me clean,
Make me white as snow,
Fill the empty spaces with Your Spirit,
Your Spirit of love,
Your Spirit of truth,
Your Spirit of life.
I trust in You,
This is my THANKS to You Jesus,
Happy Thanksgiving,
In Jesus name, Amen."
Cheers to a much lighter, free-er and happier Thanksgiving! ^_^
