Fearlessly Rise

Hello lovely! Thank you for joining me. I’m so glad to be with you today.

This post is all about- you guessed it- forgiving.

The Greek word for forgive is Aphiemi, which means to let go, give up a debt, to remit, to give up, keep no longer.

“God commands us to forgive others, it reflects His character.”

(Thankful Homemaker on Choosing Forgiveness)

We have all heard quotes about how not forgiving only hurts ourselves and not the one how has caused a grievance. Author Jodi Picoult says,

“Forgiving isn’t something you do for someone else. It’s something you do for yourself. It’s saying, ‘You’re not important enough to have a stranglehold on me.’ It’s saying, ‘You don’t get to trap me in the past. I am worthy of a future.’”

Not forgiving someone causes resentment, anger and eventually depression. In some cases it can have an effect on our worldview, and let me tell you, that is not good. Forgiveness is good for the soul. When we express forgiveness, we show our love and obedience to God. It is something that we do for ourselves to be right with the Lord. Forgiveness is a sin, just as much as adultery or holding anger toward someone.

Forgiveness is the second most important aspect of our healing journey, the first is self-acceptance. What are you refusing to let go of? Who have you not forgiven in your life? Why?

God has forgiven us for all of our sins, so who are we to hold judgement and not forgive others? Do we think ourselves more highly than God?

I challenge you to start forgiving someone who has done you wrong. Yes, it will be challenging, but start small and work your way up. Start with the angry guy who cut you off on the road today, accept that he has things going on and that he is struggling with. Forgiveness is about acceptance, not that you accept what bad was done, but because you accept that stuff happens in life. Good or bad, things will always happen.

It is not our responsibility to judge others or be the jury.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Luke 6:37

Steps to forgiving others:

1. Remember that Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.“
2. Accept that people have their own struggles. Romans 5:3-5, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Our own struggles, and the struggles of others are to build upon our character, to build resiliency, and perseverance.
3. Acknowledge the pain. Do not numb yourself to the pain you are feeling, it only hinders the ability to forgive.
4. Let go of the pain. Ephesians 4:31,  “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.”  LET IT GO. It does not serve you in this earthly life.
5. Pray. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT), “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

I hope this post has served you well.

Thank you for reading and God Bless you.

Love, Kelley

Want more information on forgiveness? Check out the links below.

https://lachristiancounseling.com/articles/learning-how-to-forgive-8-steps-to-true-forgiveness#:~:text=Forgiveness%20is%20at%20the%20very,Son%20to%20die%20for%20us.

https://thankfulhomemaker.com/podcast-episode-13-choosing-forgiveness/.