I’m Sorry

“In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.”

Matthew 6:14-15 MSG

When Jesus talked about prayer, He talked about forgiveness.

He said to ask for it daily and give it daily.

Forgiveness is a form of love, maybe the best form of love.

Holding onto anger, bitterness and resentment clogs your soul, fogs your mind and mars your perspective.

Your Father loves you so much that He wants you to daily deal with it.

Asking God for forgiveness daily clears anything that is between you and God.

Choosing to forgive others clears up things before they become so sticky, so rooted, so deep that dealing with it is overwhelming.

Ask for forgiveness.

Forgive those who have hurt or offended you on purpose or by accident.

Forgive them for your sake and theirs.

When you receive God’s forgiveness for the little stupid things you do as well as the monumentally stupid things you do, it becomes much easier to forgive others for the same.

God’s love is big enough to forgive you and big enough to help you forgive others.

Yes, even that person that you are thinking of right now.

With God all things are possible.

Pray everyday and make forgiveness a part of it.

When you do God will use it to transform your life.

Not Sorry

“Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us.”    

Matthew 6:12 CJB

Did you know that you can forgive someone even if they are not sorry?

They don’t have to be sorry in order for you to forgive them. 

They don’t even have to know that you have forgiven them.

Forgiveness is about you, not them.

It is about acknowleging and releasing the pain, the fear and the hurt to God.

Forgiveness is not about restoring trust in them either, it is about trusting God with your heart and asking Him to heal it.

What Forgiveness Is

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  

Colossians 3:13 NIV

Forgiveness breaks the power of the past.

It is a choice to let God have it, hold it, and be responsible for it- whatever it is. 

Forgiveness is taking the power away from someone else and giving it back to God. 

You don’t have to trust someone to forgive them.

They don’t have to know you forgive them.

They don’t have to be sorry in order for you to forgive them.

Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a choice.

Forgiveness is not about restoring trust in them, it is about trusting God with them

What you do have to do is make the choice to give them to God.

And then every day after, make the choice to give them to God.

Keep doing that until the feelings lines up with the decision.

Forgiveness is about freedom – yours.

Who do you need to forgive today?

Not A One Only Time Deal

“and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in His name to all nations.”

Luke 24:47 MSG

Forgiveness is not a one time only deal.

It is not a one and done.

It isn’t reserved for “the first time” you recognize you need help and you need God.

It is an every day, in the moment, after the knee-jerk reaction, after the words you wish you hadn’t said, opportunity God holds out to you.

Ask for it.

The more the better.

Make time for it – right now.

Be brave.

Get real with God and receive right this minute, forgiveness.

You are worth it.

Living Forgiven

“Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.” Matthew 6:12 MSG

Jesus, keep us:

Right with God, right with others.

Taking stock, taking responsibility.

Receiving grace, giving grace.

Living forgiven, living forgiving.

Everyday.

Jesus lived like this and then said, “follow me”.

Forgiveness sets you free to live the adventure that God has for you.

Don’t miss it.

Who do you need to forgive today?

Who do you need to ask for forgiveness from?

What Forgiveness Is

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  

Colossians 3:13 NIV

Forgiveness breaks the power of the past.

It is a choice to let God have it, hold it, and be responsible for it- whatever it is. 

Forgiveness is taking the power away from someone else and giving it back to God. 

You don’t have to trust someone to forgive them.

They don’t have to know you forgive them.

They don’t have to be sorry in order for you to forgive them.

Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a choice.

Forgiveness is not about restoring trust in them, it is about trusting God with them

What you do have to do is make the choice to give them to God.

And then every day after, make the choice to give them to God.

Keep doing that until the feelings lines up with the decision.

Forgiveness is about freedom – yours.

Who do you need to forgive today?

Keep Us

Wednesday
“Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.” Matthew 6:12 MSG
Keep us:
Right with God, right with others.
Taking stock, taking responsibility.
Receiving grace, giving grace.
Living forgiven, living forgiving.
Everyday.
Jesus said to pray like this so that you could live like this.
Forgiveness sets you free to live the adventure that God has for you.
Don’t miss it by being so focused on the past.
Even if the past was five minutes ago.
What do you need to forgive today?
What do you need to ask for forgiveness from?

The Freedom of Forgiveness

Wednesday

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  

Colossians 3:13 NIV

Forgiveness breaks the power of the past.

Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a choice.

It is a choice to let God have it, hold it, and be responsible for it- whatever it is. 

Forgiveness is taking the power away from someone else and giving it back to God. 

You don’t have to trust someone to forgive them.

They don’t have to know you forgive them.

They don’t have to be sorry in order for you to forgive them.

Forgiveness is not about restoring trust in them, it is about trusting God with them

What you do have to do is make the choice to give them to God.

And then every day after, make the choice to give them to God.

Keep doing that until the feelings lines up with the decision.

Forgiveness is about freedom – yours.

Who do you need to forgive today?

Keep Us

Friday

“Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.”    Matthew 6:12 MSG

Right with God, right with others.
Taking stock, taking responsibility.
Receiving grace, giving grace.
Living forgiven, living forgiving.
Everyday.
Jesus said to pray like this so that we could live like this.
Keep us, God, keep us.

Even If They Are Not Sorry

forgive-them-even-if-they-are-not-sorry-quote-1

“When we forgive an offense, we set a prisoner free, only to discover that we were that prisoner”.

– Freedom Groups, Week 7

Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a choice to let God have it, hold it, and be responsible for itwhatever it is.

Forgiveness is taking the power away from them and giving it back to God.

You don’t have to trust them to forgive them.

Forgiveness is not about restoring trust in them, it is about trusting God with your heart.

They don’t have to be sorry in order for you to forgive them. They don’t even have to know that you have released them to God.

What you do have to do is make the choice today and every day after, then continue to make the choice until the feeling lines up with the decision.

And it will.

One day you will be able to remember what happened without reliving the pain.

“Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us”    

 – Jesus

Matthew 6:12 CJB