Seed Devotion: Letting Go Of Grudges
Scripture NKJV Matthew 18: 21, 22 Then Peter came to Him and said, " Lord how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him," I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."
It can be such an emotional experience to be at the funeral of a close friend or loved one. The mourning period of a close friend or family member can cause us to feel some of the saddest emotions. But what happens when you go to someone's funeral with a different motive.
I have heard that sometimes people go to a family member's funeral just to make sure they are dead. They do not go to mourn with and comfort the family. Somewhere along the way they had a falling out with the person and they never were able to forgive them.
This week there was an SUV that plunged off the Colorado highway overpass. It killed seven people, including 2 young children. Can you imagine how the family members and friends of these persons must be feeling right now? They did not even have a chance to say goodbye.
But yet some of us hold on to grudges and wish our family and friends could die the same way. When I say "grudge" , I mean the feeling of ill will or resent towards someone. It can be tough to forgive your best friend Sara after she slept with your man. It can be extremely tough to forgive your father for never being there for you as a child. I can understand that forgiveness is not always easy.
But if you do not learn to forgive and deal with your issues, they will eat at you and cause bitterness in your heart. Bitterness is like cancer in that it eats at you and affects your whole life in a negative way. It affects your relationships and how you look at the world. It clogs up your love pipe so you only give off unloving vibes.
The Bible says forgiveness is an absolute necessity. In Matthew 6: 14-15 it says that if you do not forgive men their sins, God will not forgive you of your sins. In Mark 11:25, Jesus commands us to forgive others. The Bible also says in 2 Cor. 2: 10-11 that when we forgive others, we outwit Satan.
Jesus told Peter to forgive seventy times seven in Matthew 18. This tells me that we should not keep track of how many times we forgive someone. If someone is truly repentant we should forgive them no matter how many times they ask.
Here are some ways below to help us forgive others who have hurt or offended us:
A) YOU MAY NEED COUNSELING: I am not going to sit here and say that forgiving someone who raped you is easy. I also know that God is our ultimate healer, but God can use people to help us get where we need to be. I saw on a show a woman that has been in counseling many years for when she was raped as a child. God is slowly restoring her. It may be beneficial for you to talk to a trusted Christian counselor as well.
B) REBUKE BITTERNESS: Unforgiveness brings bitterness which brings misery. There is nothing good that comes out of being bitter toward someone the rest of your life.
C) MEDITATE ON THE WORD: The Word is a life changing seed, that when planted in your heart everyday, will produce great change in you. Meditate on scriptures on forgiveness and get them so down in your spirit that they produce a change in your mind and heart.
D) WALK IN LOVE: Love keeps no record of wrongs( 1 Corinthians 13:5). Love also overlooks a multitude of sins( 1 Peter 4:8).
E) LET GOD FIGHT YOUR BATTLES: Let God get revenge. Do not go flatten your ex- boyfriend's tires because he cheated on you.
Letting go of grudges is not easy, but is definitely possible. You have to make trusting and obeying God first in your life. Also pray and ask God to come in and intervene on your behalf. Let Go And Let God Today!
Heavenly Father,
I refuse to let my past define who I am. I refuse to let people , places, or things define who I am or who I will become. Lord God help me and give me the wisdom to make the right decisions regarding my relationships. I repent and ask your forgiveness of any grudges I have been holding. I also forgive those who have hurt and offended me in Jesus name Amen.
The best and most important decision you can make in your life is to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. If you would like to do that today please pray with me:" Heavenly Father, I thank you for sending your only begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins. Jesus I repent of all my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart. I make you Lord of my life. In Jesus name, Amen." If you have just prayed this prayer, congratulations! You are saved and apart of the Family Of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed. Please email me at: [email protected] so I can assist you in your new beginning!
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