Tag: forgiveness

Purify My Heart

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“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.”  ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17:3‬ ‭NIV

A crucible is used to melt the silver and gold so the impurities of the precious metal will rise to the top.

When it does, the refiner will skim it off. 

It is the same with your heart.

The Great Refiner can use the fires of life to expose things that don’t belong there.

In His kindness, He will bring them to the surface to clear them away.

When He brings it to the surface, it means that you are ready to deal with it.

Your job is to stay in His hand, deal with what comes up (which almost always begins by forgiving yourself or others) and allow the healing balm of His love to make you new.

How is your heart? 

What is Jesus bringing up?

What do you need to do with it?

Go Toward It

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Relationships are not easy.

They take grace, forgiveness, honesty, and courage.

You may think that it would be easier and simpler to withdraw, it is not.

Don’t cheat yourself or others by withdrawing in fear.

Persevere. 

Go toward the problem. 

Reach out. 

God can make a way where there seems to be no way.

Quiet the fear-filled beat of your heart and listen for the encouraging whisper of the Holy Spirit.

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,”‭‭ 

Romans‬ ‭15:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What Forgiveness Is

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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?

Finished

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When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John‬ ‭19‬:‭30‬ NIV

After the unfair trial.

After the man’s judgment.

After the sentence to death.

After the unbelievable physical pain.

After the unbearable separation from the Father.

After receiving horrific judgment and sin of the world upon Himself.

Before His final breath.

“It is finished.”

My sin paid for. 

My debt paid.

My forgiveness, offered.

My redemption, complete.

My relationship with God, possible.

Before you ever began, He finished it.

Proof of Love

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“All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children”. 

Matthew 27:25 

After Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed by Judas, abandoned by His disciples and denied by Peter.

Then He was brought before Herod to be judged. Herod sent Him to Pilot, but Pilot couldn’t find a reason for a death penalty.

It came down to the people and the people demanded that Jesus be crucified and the murderer, Barabas, be released to them.

Unfair, unjust, unreasonable are just three words that come to mind. He did nothing to deserve a penalty of death.

The crowd shouted: “His blood be on us and on our children.” 

He must have stood there marveling as He heard the crowd cry out for His death, knowing that He was going to bear their judgment physically, spiritually….literally.

Now their cry has become mine: “His blood be on us and on our children”,  not the blood of judgment but the blood of forgiveness.

While Jesus was on the cross, He drank deep from the cup of God’s fury against our sin so that you and I could drink deep of the cup of forgiveness. He took our judgment so we could be pardoned for all eternity.

Now their cry has become mine: “His blood be on us and on our children”,  not the blood of judgment but the blood of His amazing love and forgiveness.

If you don’t know how much Jesus loves you, look at the cross – the proof lies lifeless there.

Forgiveness Is Not What You Think it is.

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Forgiveness is not a feeling. 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 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

Grudges

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Holding a grudge clutters the soul with bitterness.

Forgiveness is vital to your soul and it is a journey Jesus wants to walk you through.

It is vital because you are valuable.

And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff.  Live generously.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:38-42‬ ‭MSG‬‬

God doesn’t deny that bad things happen or that people will take advantage of you but He also doesn’t abandon you to it either.

Jesus is saying that when someone takes advantage of you, give them what you have and move on with your life.  Let it go.  Forgive it.

In this way, you will be living in the abundance of God’s love instead of the famine of your past hurts.

You are not meant to carry the heavy load of resentment and regret.

What resentment or regret is weighing you down?

What grudge is poisoning your soul?

Bring them all to Jesus and lay each one at the foot of the cross. Then, take a deep breath and allow Him to fill the newly evacuated space with the cleansing power of His love.

Regrets

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“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.”

Psalm‬ ‭139‬:‭1‬ NIV

Jesus knows every regret you have ever had and why you have it.

He can turn a memory of disappointment into a moment of discovery, a revelation of wisdom or a catalyst for change.

Useless regrets are only regrets that you don’t learn from.

Through love and forgiveness, He can transform all your regrets into gifts that will grow you.

Let Him.

Keep Us

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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?

A Special Kind of Stubborn

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Friday

It takes a special kind of stubbornness to start a new thing in your life, to change the course of it. A stubbornness to keep going against the odds and swim against the current.

Life in Christ means that you are being called upon to be a pioneer.

He may be calling you to be the first in your family to break the cycle of unhealthy habits or to break the cycle of emotional or physical abuse. He may be calling you to start a new business to help people that need it or create a home unlike the one you grew up in.

He is asking you to be a pioneer.

“But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion. It won’t be long now, he’s on the way; he’ll show up most any minute. But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy. But we’re not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:32-39‬ ‭MSG‬‬

God is asking you to be a change-maker and to be stubborn about it.

Be stubborn about your goals but flexible about your methods.

Jesus never did a miracle the same way.

Each one was different and unique.

Be creative, use what God has given you, and fight for the change you need in your life.

Change worth having is worth fighting for.

Go ahead – be stubborn and courageous today.