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August 4, 2009
The Power of Forgiveness
A gift to your soul and others |
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Greetings!
This past week I was speaking to a fellow coach about our past and childhood. The man I was speaking to had a difficult relationship with his father who had recently passed away. I could hear the pain in the man's voice as he described the negative and painful memories of his childhood. We sat and talked for hours about life and how he struggles with the painful scars that were unsettled and unhealed following his father's death.
I left our meeting that night with renewed compassion for people with unforgiveness in their heart. Unforgiveness is poison to our soul and the food that hell feeds on. Unforgiveness robs you of life and is a cage of pity, pain and powerlessness.
I read a Chinese proverb that states, "When I hate someone, it's like me drinking poison while I wait for them to die". Wow. Unforgiveness is the launch pad of hatred. In our minds, we don't always feel or see the accumulated pain of a past hurt or offense but they are there lurking beneath the surface and causing damage to mind, body and spirit! Unforgiveness is a beast and it must be destroyed to enable a walk of freedom, transformation, and joy.
My heart is pained for my friend. He never had the opportunity to say, "I forgive you". He never felt the release of hatred for his father for the wrongs and abuses. He never tasted the sweet drink of forgiveness and the solid relational standing a clear heart and conscience provides. Don't make the same mistake. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive!
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Forgiveness ... the power to change relationships
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2 to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. 8 Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9 yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you-being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ- 10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11 who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13 whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14 But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. 15 For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave-a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. Philemon's Obedience Encouraged 17 If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18 But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19 I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay-not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. 20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. 21 Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, 24 as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. 25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
~ Philemon ~ |
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We Forgive because we have been forgiven!
Congratulations! If you just read the scripture above you read a book of the Bible today! Awesome.
Paul wrote this letter to a dear friend and fellow warrior for Christ. He was writing to ask a slave owner, Philemon, to forgive a slave, Onesimus, for running away and stealing. In fact, he offered Philemon to place the burden of Onesimus' restitution on his own account (v18). Paul wanted his friend to walk in relational healing and live the transformed life of a follower of Jesus ... to forgive!
I enjoy the personal flavor of this Pauline letter. You can hear the personal touch and the unity of the Spirit in Paul's writing. It is the common bond of Christ's love and forgiveness that was the source Paul used to empower his request that Philemon forgive. It was for "love's sake" (v9) that Paul made the request. This was not the love of man but the love of Christ!
The foundation for our ability to forgive is Christ's forgiveness for our sins. It was for "love's sake" that Christ died for our sins. And, it is for "love's sake" that we should forgive others. Forgiveness is not just a gift to the person we forgive, it is a gift to our own soul and to Christ who died to set us free from condemnation and revenge. Every time we forgive someone, we activate the love of Jesus Christ upon the earth. We are literally enforcing His Kingdom and living His prayer, "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12).
This week, take a personal inventory and ask the Lord, "Is there any unforgiveness in me ... is there anyone I need to forgive?" Then, seek God's wisdom on how you forgive. Often, we go through the process with God alone but other times He wants you to release that person by communicating your forgiveness. I caution you - make sure you ask God before you go to someone in person. You can always forgive and simply give the issue to God. But you need to make sure God gives you the green light before you speak forgiveness to someone who has offended you. Forgiveness is powerful and must be communicated directly in God's guidance. Nonetheless, Forgive and enrich your soul as you live like Jesus on the earth!
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For King and Kingdom,
Randy Martin |
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