Forgiven to be Forgiving.

An unforgiving spirit will only hold you hostage of your past and minimize every good thing that is present now.

Have you ever silently prided yourself on loving people as they are, never to hold a grudge, or even past events against those who have wronged or harmed you only to find out that it all sounds good until really complicated expectations of forgiveness are required in order to do the right thing or to be the bigger person?

I have often equated forgiveness with approval, and I have even falsely forgiven people only to receive favor in return, but all I have gained from doing so is stored up bitter feelings buried in the corners of my heart that I never knew existed.

I recently was inspired to write out past events & buried memories on a 3×5 card that I thought had been long forgiven, but they still somehow triggered bitter emotions and feelings that I never quite felt like dealing with. Hard feelings are hard to deal with, but if they are never dealt with then they only make navigating through this life harder in the long run.

I began writing out every incident I thought I had left behind, completely forgiven, until I had a pile of 3×5 cards laying out in front of me only to recognize how many seemingly unforgivable memories had been replaced with bitterness rather than forgiveness. I then grabbed a red pen, to cross out each of those jarred memories and mishaps in my life, knowing that Jesus’ blood has covered every one of my mistakes so why could it not cover those who have done me wrong as well? Forgiveness truly offers us freedom from our pasts, but also the freedom to live our present lives without bitter feelings resurfacing whenever a past memory is evoked. We’re forgiven to be forgiving.

I can now say that I am thankful God has forgiven me, because it allows me the opportunity to also forgive others— forgiveness does not equate to favor, but rather allows us to live our lives in the freedom that God offers us every single day!

Love & Blessings,

Moriah grace

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