Every one of us have been wronged, hurt, offended or sinned against at some point in our lives. I’m sure we’re even guilty of doing the same to someone else. So how do we respond if someone does this to us? It is human nature for us to be angry and resentful. We often will retaliate or say hateful things. The sad thing is…continuing to feel this way will lead to bitterness. Bitterness is like a prison filled with resentment and anger…betrayal fills the air and causes tears. But we can choose, you know…to chain ourselves to the hurt…or let it go before it becomes hatred.
If we don’t learn to let it go…if we continue to hold a grudge…it will only be detrimental to ourselves. Grudges have a way of staying with us…especially when our mind is saying move on but the pain in our heart makes it hard to let go. We need to fight through the pain…learn from the experience…and be a wiser person in similar situations. Holding a grudge keeps us from living life to its fullest and from being truly healed. When we find ourselves in this prison…we should always remember…in the place that we are…we will never leave…unless we decide…where we’d rather be.
There’s no reason for us to live in the prisons of our past…when it’s not our past that imprisons us…it’s ourselves. So often we use our past as an excuse to keep us from letting go and moving on. We embrace the very chains that keep us trapped…clinging to the things that are holding us back from all that life has to offer us. Letting go doesn’t mean we’ll forget or ignore…and it doesn’t involve anger or regret either. It’s not about success or failure of letting go…it just means that we are overcoming the hurt and having the strength to move on. Letting go is about forgiveness and accepting that some things just aren’t meant to be.
One of the very special promises in the Bible is that when God forgives, He also forgets. In Hebrews 8:12, God says, “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” He forgives and forgets because of the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. If God can grace us with His everlasting forgiveness…who are we to deny ourselves or someone else…this same forgiveness? And the forgiveness we extend should have no conditions…in the same way that God’s forgiveness is unconditional. When we truly forgive someone we will also forget the wrong that was done to us. Sure, we will always remember the painful things that have happened to us…but true forgiveness assures us that it will no longer plague us as it did in the past. It will no longer eat at our minds in a way that it keeps recurring in our thoughts.
If we continue to hold onto the pain and anger…we are only punishing ourselves…not those who brought harm to us. We are
So start right now and free yourself…forgive yourself of your own trespasses…as you forgive those who have trespassed against you …embrace your freedom…and have fun discovering the new life that is waiting for you…
Inspire-A-Footprint today...
With love...Tonia
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I'll do it!
ReplyDeleteThank you Blase!
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