Forgiving

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

I admit it. I am guilty...of not forgiving.

I recently replayed some events in my life (Mi Vida) and I realized that in my heart that I had not been very forgiving. The very fact that upon recollection, I could feel the hurt, showed that I had not let go of that thing. I had not truly forgiven. The intensity of the hurt may have lessened but it was not fully forgiven.

I began to search within me to find out why I felt like I did. There is an old saying that goes, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me." With that in my mind, I have often shut out things and people who have resembled the hurt I once experienced.

What am I saying? Because of my past, I know the behaviors of certain kinds of people. So when I see those behaviors exhibited in others I know what I am dealing with. If they are unhealthy, I shut them out. But is that what the Lord did for us? Did He not teach us and love us into His arms? Did He shut out the publican or sinner? Did He not say live peaceably with all men? Just asking? The Lord never turned His back on us but loved us while we were yet sinners. WOW!

In our lives people will traverse through that will do things to us that rub us the wrong way. I am not suggesting that we just allow anyone or anything to abuse our love and compassion. I am just saying that after it is said and done, no matter how difficult, FORGIVE. You don't have to forget even though that's good, but you must forgive. Let it Go. If we are not trying to help them, let's not hold them in judgment, condemnation or unforgiveness.

Again I say I am guilty. In the first week of my quiet time, the Lord showed me that I am guilty of it and it has to change. Even when I have been lied upon, I can't be upset with the person that lied, but I can be upset with the father of lies. When I have been accused, I can be upset with the accuser of the brethern. When I have been devoured, I can be upset with the true devourer. And so on.

In this life we all will have some damaging, hurtful and exasperating situations but the goal is to learn from them and move on. The goal is to forgive as even more than we have been forgiven.

As I thought back, I can recall people who have hurt me beyond measure. These hurts were in areas that were lacking in my life. And while I underwent some very drastic experiences, they have only been character builders for me.

I am constantly learning to let some things go. I am learning to be quiet and still. I am learning that your issues will not be my issues. I am learning that God is not pleased with my unforgiveness.

So today I am releasing the hurts and letting go of things that were done before June 8, 2009 and beyond. It may still surface every now and then, but I refuse to let the root continue to grow. I am finding that I want people to forgive me when I am wrong (and that happens often), so I have to forgive them for sometimes they no not what they do.

With that said....

Keep Walking In Faith,

MiVida