One that has been discipled knows that they are forgiven and to the extent they know and receive forgiveness they extend forgiveness to others. It is only to this extent that one receives wholeness and inner healing. Often times when ministering healing comes through forgiveness. Recently while teaching discipleship at a church, on forgiveness, many received healing, emotionally and physically. By walking through and receiving forgiveness that God had for them, then extending forgiveness to people that they held unforgiveness towards, healing began to come. Emotional healing, physical healing. For one in the congregation, it was a person that they had held unforgiveness for a lifetime. Unforgiveness to the extent that they would leave the church, or grocery store if they knew the person was there. And after receiving and understanding His forgiveness, they realized that they held unforgiveness towards this person. I had taught that evening that unforgiveness was like “drinking poison and expecting the other to suffer.” They realized that night that they were suffering themselves for a lifetime of poison. They broke before God receiving His forgiveness and made the choice to forgive the one they had held so much anger and hatred towards for such a long time. In that moment they received their healing.
Some one need to hear this today. Matthew 5:12 “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trepassed against us.”
Lord, we have responded, reacted, said things, made judgements we had no right to to make. We have trampled on people’s hearts and emotions in the process. Forgive us. We also choose forgive those whose reactions, responses, words, and actions have hurt us deeply often times not knowing what they have done. Lord, we choose today to release them from anything owed to us. They owe us nothing, and we pray for them to know and receive your forgiveness. Lord, we repent, and turn our hearts and minds to alignment with Your word.