Praise the Name of Jesus!  Have you ever had a situation where you thought you had forgiven a person for some awful thing that was done or said to you but you later find out that you were really still carrying a lot of hurt and anger over it?  Well, if your answer is “yes”, then you are not alone.  This is a very delicate and sensitive issue in life.  Even for the mature Christian, forgiveness can sometimes be a challenge.

We must first of all ask for the help of the Holy Spirit in some of those cases.  Let’s face it.  There are some things done to us and against us that is so horrible and wicked, until it takes the power of the Holy Spirit to really help us but, if we are willing we can do this!  The bible teaches us that the love of God has been shed abroad into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  So that means that we can love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, and also do it not only with lip service but also with fruit to back it up.  When we forgive, we must know that it is a commandment directly from God!  (read Mark 11:26)  It seems unfair but it really is not.  We all fall short and stand in need of God’s grace and forgiveness, so we must choose with a willing heart to forgive any and everybody that hurts us, hates us, or just does evil toward us.

I was out exercising early this morning and before I even started, I asked the Lord to speak to me just whatever He wanted to speak this morning.  I began to walk and pray.  Before I knew it, I was reciting what we call the “Lord’s Prayer”.  Now, before I got past the part that says, “and forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors”, God spoke to my heart and said “THAT MEANS TO STOP KEEPING A RECORD OF THE WRONG”.  Wow, I knew what He was talking about and even a couple of weeks earlier, He spoke through another person directly to me by saying, “Stop thinking about it”.  Now, both words were speaking of the same incident.  So, I received a corrective Word from my Daddy, my Father and my God and I am sharing it with you.  Love does not keep track of wrong doing.  It is not easily offended.  We must strive to forgive and ask God to heal our broken hearts.  This is possible with God.

Are you keeping track of all the past hurts that someone else has done to you?  Does it still hurt like crazy when you think of the pain that you suffered behind the wrong doing?  Well start by asking God to help you get over the pain.  Some trauma will take time to heal but God is a healer.  Next, choose from your heart to forgive.  Even if it still hurts or you find that it is hard, expect God to give you the grace, or the divine enablement to do it.  If you truly want to please God and be forgiven yourself for the things you have done, you must forgive.  When you stand praying, forgive if you have bitterness against someone who has done you wrong.  Look that person in the eye if you are around them and “smile”.  Do something nice for them if this is possible.  Keep asking God for help.  Read scriptures on forgiveness and rebuke the spirit of strife and unforgiveness so that you can walk in freedom!

A heart that forgives is truly a heart that is healed by the ALMIGHTY GOD!!