Festering…

Is there something festering inside of you? So many of us carry unforgiveness in our hearts, and it starts to stink. We can’t forgive someone from childhood, work, family or a previous relationship. It eats us up. It causes our blood pressure to rise when we think about it. Having this inside of us can also hinder other relationships. We can’t trust someone else, or we can’t be ourselves…there is a darkness inside that we can’t master.

Many health professionals agree that having anger and bitterness in our hearts can cause long term health issues. Stomach problems, insomnia, blood pressure…are just a few. We clench our teeth and have problems with our teeth and jaws. We get grey hair. We are distracted from living a life to the fullest.

Forgiving someone is essential. If anything, for your own mental and physical health. When you go through the journey it takes to acknowledge your anger and resentment, there is a start to a healing inside of you. Even when you forgive the “unforgivable”…there is a lightness that you haven’t had before. Jesus has promised us that He forgives and forgets. He calls us to do the same. He doesn’t punish us according to our sins, He forgives and forgets. We just need to ask.

Psalm 103:10-12, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so his loyal love prevails over those who fear him. As far as east is from west, so he has removed far from us the guilt of our transgressions.”

One of the hardest things to do is to forgive. For many, it feels like they are then giving in to an injustice. There is a loss of pride. There is the loss of feeling right, and it hurts to give that up. When one starts the process, then you need to see it through. Often I find that I “forgive”, and then get angry again a short time later. I need to do it again and again. Each time it gets easier, and the process is shorter. Eventually the forgiveness is genuine. When you examine your feeling then, they are neutral and the healing is complete.

Colossians 3:12-15, “Therefore, as the chosen of God, holy and dearly loved, put on affection, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, putting up with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone should have a complaint against anyone, just as also the Lord forgave you, thus also you do the same. And to all these things add love, which is the bond of perfection. And the peace of Christ must rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.”

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