(The
forgiveness Series 1)
22 May 2016
Un-forgiveness is like cancer. Once the
seed is sown, it starts growing and spreading like a bush fire; consuming,
destroying and killing all things in its part. The only way to stop it is to uproot
it from the root. The only way to prevent it is not to let the seed be planted
in the first place.
Not too long ago, I was hurt. I had un-forgiveness
threatening my life. Yes, that is what it does. It steals your peace and joy,
and most importantly your relationship with God.
I was hurt! It was not even one
incidence but a series of incidences by the same person. Those incidences, I
felt were meant to humiliate and deliberately hurt me. It was even more painful
because it was in an environment that I expected to be full of love. I flirted
with bitterness and nearly took the pill of offence.
What saved me was the fact that I had Jesus Christ in my life. I kept remembering He forgave me, why would I not
forgive this person. I lost respect for this person. I mistrusted anything they
said. I found myself reading meanings into what they do. Through this, I opened
myself to battlefield of the mind.
I knew I was in trouble because the
Holy Spirit kept convicting me through my conscience. On judgement day, would I
use the person as an excuse for not forgiving? Was their own action powerful
enough over my life to dictate my actions?
I knew I was fighting a spiritual
battle because I know what the God I serve says about forgiveness (Matt
6:14-15, 18:21-22, Luke 6:37 examples). I was in this battle for about a year.
So I started fighting it. No one was
going to make me miss my eternity. I prayed consistently for the Holy Spirit to
help me to forget the pain, that when I see this person, I will not remember
the pain.
I started taking control of my thoughts
by confessing Philippians 4:8. It became my favourite verse; Finally,
brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things
are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things
are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything
praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Anytime I see the person I recited the
verse, to keep away any negative thoughts. It worked.
I prayed to be filled with agape love –
not the ordinary flesh inducing love but the love that covers all sins, one
that does not anger; that sees through Christ eyes, the love that comes from
above. I prayed to love this person with agape love. I then started working it
out. Whenever I see the person, I will greet and hug them. I went out of my way
to help them. I was determined to love them. Agape love does not depend on
feelings but based on decision.
Gradually the feelings of hurt died. I
see them now I feel love. I have also come to know and understand their
character and nothing they do now could hurt me again because I shrug off their
weaknesses and focus on their strengths. I want to put my energies in working
on my own weaknesses – there is a lot of that already!
I came out of that experience having a
deeper understanding that forgiveness is not easy but it is not impossible. The
Holy Spirit is there to help us work it out.
How about you?
