Let’s Talk about THAT

Forgiveness.  I believe the greatest need of the human heart is forgiveness.  Walking in forgiveness is necessary in order to have consistent fellowship with God and others.  Without it we cannot enjoy deep, intimate fellowship with God that both He and we desire.  Without it we become angry and bitter toward others and ultimately toward God.

When I see an angry, bitter person my heart breaks.  Often the pride which causes that person to refuse to forgive is also blinding them to the hardness of their own heart.  Our willingness to forgive those who have offended us is directly connected to our own forgiveness.  Bitterness is a dangerous place to hang out.

I believe deep pain lies behind the denial of forgiveness.  I don’t think a child sets out to be a hardened, judgmental, or abusive person.  I think it is something that is learned- usually though very painful circumstances.

However, life doesn’t have to deal tough cards to store up bitterness in our heart.  Often it is the little things that drive a wedge in our relationship with God, allowing Satan a foothold.  Little things such as unmet expectations, unfairness, or personality friction.    Without proper attention, these footholds turn into strongholds which harden our heart and hurt our relationship with God and others.  Oftentimes the hardness of our own heart is revealed through the things we say when we perceive an offense or injustice. (“Can you believe THAT…”)  Pride also likes to play the victim.  

The lack of forgiveness opens the door to oppression.  Pride follows in the wake of an offense which is not promptly recognized and forgiven.  Pride is tricky.  It is a burden to carry.  It informs us we are right, actually righteous, and the other person should have known better.  Our pride masks the offense; often we don’t even realize we have been offended.  We walk along thinking we are good.  Pride informs us the offense was done to us on purpose, and refuses to recognize the truth about people.  We cannot see people clearly through the lens of pride.  

This is what the enemy loves.  He wants us to be unaware of our heart condition, confused and lost.  This open door becomes a floodgate for tormenting spirits.

We are human and sometimes our human emotions hang around, even after we have decided to forgive.  Walking in forgiveness means when pain arises, when anger swells, when we remember the offense or injustice, we are quick to put it down and turn to the Truth.  When we are walking in humility, the world and it’s folly doesn’t feel so personal.  We keep our eyes focussed on Christ and remember He has forgiven us when we don’t deserve it.  We remember His blood covers all our sins, even the ones we don’t realize or ask for forgiveness.  Remember this when someone who has hurt you doesn’t repent.

May we remember Christ’s ultimate example on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."  Like Jesus, when we live in understanding of human nature and what sin does to us, forgiveness can be a natural response.  We embrace God’s forgiveness and this flows to those around us.  This is only possible through God’s power in us.

Lord I open my heart to you.  Please reveal the darkened areas; I allow you to enter those areas.  Deal with me gently, for that is Your nature.  Massage and soften my heart.  I want to see You and others more clearly.