Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. :2 (ESV)

Ephesians 4:32-5

 

Learn to move beyond forgiveness toward freedom.

Forgiveness is the act of letting go of what we believe the other person owes us. When we let go, we release that debt and discover we were the one that was set free. The Apostle Paul encourages us to forgive others in the same way that God forgives us. Just as God did not hold our sins against us, we should not hold others' sins against them. Rather, when we reach out in forgiveness and reconciliation, we are imitating our heavenly Father. We will not only become more like Christ in this way, but we will also become spiritually stronger and healthier.

When we grasp the beauty of the gospel, when we grasp something of God's love, we begin to understand the significance of showing love to those who deserve it the least. Too often, our preoccupation with the hurt or wrong done draws us away from trusting and resting in Christ. Our angst and anger can get in the way of God doing all that He wants in our lives. We can either continue to rehearse our pain or choose to let go and embrace a future of new possibilities with God. Instead of focusing on “what they did to me”, we should ask, “How can I grow (beyond myself) in this unhappy episode?

Growth is the best gift you can give yourself. Growth involves obedience. Our obedience determines our attitude towards God and how we live as His sons and daughters. It is the love from God and for God that makes our obedience joyful and fruitful.

Our wounds can serve the will of God. This is where prayer becomes important and a priority because God can transform our deepest pain into deeper healing. If we fail to pray, we will exhaust ourselves by trying to do what only God can do. Follow Paul’s prescription. Choose to live a life of love. Instead of judging, we choose to pray. Instead of hatred, we choose to forgive. Instead of retaliation, we choose to reconcile. And in doing so we set ourselves free.