Forgiveness – The Insane Battles Within

Forgiveness. What a HARD thing to do yet everyone wants you to forgive and forget, right?! I am going to take a minute and talk about forgiveness and why it is SO important in your life and even your worst of enemy’s life! 

Before I start, I want you to picture the person you love most. Think of all the many reasons you love them. While you read, I want you to think hard about that loved one. 

Let’s say your loved one has hurt someone. Maybe said something out of line, maybe many years ago they physically or emotionally hurt someone, maybe they lied, cheated, stole. I am sure even though you love that person very much, something has come to mind that they have done in the past to hurt someone, anyone.

Now, I want you to think about that person they did wrong to hating your loved one because of it. That doesn’t seem very fair does it? No one wants to feel hated. Regardless of what they did, they are still loved by you despite the pain they caused someone else. They should be forgiven and loved right?! 

Maybe your loved one is hanging by a thread feeling like all they have done has been a disappointment to others (or maybe even to you). Maybe they hide the insecurities they face from feeling unloved by those they desperately want to make amends with by using drugs, drinking or causing themselves physical pain. You desperately want to help them but can’t. You know the real reason for their pain is unresolved issues from their past. Forgiveness was never granted and fellowship was never restored, slowly destroying your loved one day by day. 

You can’t make ANYONE forgive someone they don’t want to. Can I say that not forgiving someone can lead to a life of misery? I’ve been there! Also, not BEING forgiven can also lead to the same misery. Been there too!

Now I need you to think about the person that in your mind is the one person you can’t ever forgive, can’t ever love, can’t ever show any compassion for again. The one name that when you hear it, your blood starts to boil. The person you hope you never see again! 

If THEY were YOUR son, your daughter, your husband, your wife, would you want someone hating them as much as you hate them?!

If God could forgive you, show compassion towards you, continue to help you, and love you still even though it was BECAUSE of you and I that His OWN son had to suffer and die a miserable death….. how can we not forgive, help, show compassion, and love even our worst enemies?! Regardless of how many times you and I have let down the Lord, He still loves us and is there for us just as much as He was when He made you and I!

 I believe that there are many times that the reason people are so miserable is because they either haven’t forgiven others or maybe they can’t forgive themselves simply because they know that others haven’t truly forgiven them. 

I feel that if counselors got to the root of every problem in mental hospitals, in rehabs, and even in jail… they would find that somewhere, someone never forgave them and they deeply desire to be loved and forgiven by that person(s). 

I’ve been there. Knowing I was not forgiven by people who I loved left me feeling worthless, unwanted and unloved. It is a terrible feeling!

Unforgiveness roots bitterness. 

God has given all of us second, third, fourth and even hundreds and thousands of chances in life. He still shows us the same love and compassion regardless of our mess ups. No matter how big of a sin or how small, HE LOVES US! WOW!

We are supposed to be like Christ, right?! So why aren’t we forgiving others, loving them, and showing compassion? You NEVER know what the feeling of being forgiven and fellowship restored can do for a person’s life. It may be just the one thing they need to be that better person!

Typically, it is the people we love most that we tend to hurt the most. Have you ever thought that maybe you still need them?! Or that maybe they still need YOU?! 

I challenge all of you to take some time and think about how you would want to be treated, how you would want your loved one treated but even more so, how the Lord has treated YOU! Is there someone you need to apologize to? It really is freeing when you can grant and receive full forgiveness!