Last week I introduced 7 reasons you feel empty. The third item on that list was unforgiveness. Many of us hold bitterness in our hearts. We have a grudge that we have been holding for years. The bitterness inside us will eat away at us and never do us any good. Often those strong feelings will manifest themselves in physical ways after a certain amount of time.
The starting point of letting go of the bitterness is looking to the forgiveness that Jesus offers to you from the cross. It is Jesus forgiveness that empowers us to forgive others. We love because he first loved us. When we realize how we are forgiven even though we don’t deserve it, it gives us the incentive to forgive others who do not deserve it.
That does not mean it is easy to forgive. I imagine that there are people in your life that do not deserve forgiveness. They treated you poorly. They wronged you. They betrayed you. They slandered you. They hurt you. But your lack of forgiveness does not hurt them. Your lack of forgiveness hurts you more than it hurts the person you fail to forgive.
For some of us, the most important person we need to forgive is ourselves. We hold guilt in our heart. We beat ourselves up because of mistakes or poor decisions. You may be able to forgive others, but forgiving yourself is another thing.
But our empowerment to forgive ourselves comes from the same source as our ability to forgive others. It starts with Jesus. Jesus has forgiven us. If Jesus can forgive us, then we can certainly forgive ourselves. When we begin to practice forgiveness, we will be amazed how it empowers living.
Reflection
- Who do you need to forgive? With whom do you hold a grudge?
- How do you find the power to forgive through Jesus?
Prayer
Lord, you died on the cross to forgive me. I did not deserve it. But you did it anyway. You love me with an unconditional love even though I have not lived to honor you. Give me the power to practice forgiveness towards others and release any bitterness in my heart. Give me release from guilt knowing that there is nothing I can do to wander so far away from your love. Amen.
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