The fruit of the righteous is a tree of Life, And he who wins souls is wise. (Proverbs 11:30)

Monday, May 18, 2009

Learning how to Forgive

Unforgiveness is the Root of Hate
Most of the time we don't recognize the unforgiveness that is in us.
When we first become Christians, we are full of joy, and because "forgiveness" is a big part of being Christians, we think we are forgiving our enemies or someone who has done wrong to us.
But we aren't. If we don't ask God to reveal our unforgiveness to us, we might never get free of those chains that keep us in bondage, if we don't ask.
The only way we can make sure our lives are right before God, has to do with forgiving other people. We can never win the Kingdom of Heaven and have God in our lives completely if we have an unforgiven heart.
If you ask God to reveal who is the one that you need to forgive, He will.
When I first became Christian, I never thought that I needed to forgive my parents.
In my culture and in the Catholic church, you don't have the need to forgive your parents, because they have never done wrong to you; Haven't they???
I was attending a new church in Van Nuys, Ca. I took a course there; it was call "Free indeed"
here they helped you to identify the hurt of the past, the pain that is hidden with in your heart, the unforgiveness of your heart. It is amazing how God reveled all hidden things when you ask for...God knows your heart and He wants you to be free...He wants you to come to Him white as snow. Only repentance and forgiveness will let you come to God.
Well, here is where I found out; the hate and anger that I was storing in my heart, something that I never knew I had. God showed me the specific things that my parents did to me, the ones that I hated the most (I didn't even know that I had hate against my parents) by asking God was the only way I was able to identified the problem and with that came the realization that I had issues with my parents. This was the only way I was able to forgive my parents, I knew exactly what to forgive them for. I love my parents so dearly and I thank God for keeping them in this world with me all this time.

Deuteronomy 5:16
'Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

We have to start our forgiveness with our families, because those the people we are with the most, the ones who know us the best and they are the ones who can hurt us the most.But for these very same reasons, unforgiveness toward one of them can bring the biggest devastation to our lives. That's way forgiveness must start at home.

1 John 3:15
Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Mark 11:25
"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

Unforgiveness is the root of hate. When we entertain unforgiven thoughts, they turn to hate inside of us. This is a big load we carry everywhere we go, and people can see it because it shows in the face, words and actions, we become sick, weak and bitter.
It is up to us to choose to forgive or hate. Forgiving will benefit our walk with God, and will benefit the people we choose to forgive.

When we forgive someone doesn't mean that that's the end of it, we are humans and humans are creatures of habits, that means that it is not easy for people to change the way they are; so we are the ones who need to have the spirit of discernment to know when forgiveness is need it

Matthew 18:21-22
21Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

I'm still working in my forgiveness, this should be a daily prayer for us...
God, please reveal to me who are the people that need forgiveness from me. I don't want to carry this load on my shoulders. I want to be free, free indeed. I want you to soften my heart and make me a loving person towards others. I'm tired of entertaining unforgiven thoughts. I'm tired of the hate that is in my heart. I pray Lord that you will reveal all the things that are harming my unforgiven soul. And I pray that after you reveal all these things, I'll be able to forgive and I'll be free, free indeed.
I pray all these thing in Jesus mighty name, Amen.

ASK GOD TO REVEAL, WHO IS THE PERSON THAT YOU NEED TO FORGIVE.