Freedom Through Forgiveness – Thyme4Faith

Unforgiveness can make us feel like a prisoner. Why not chose (& SHARE) freedom instead?

Freedom Through Forgiveness

We’ve all been offended at one time by what others have said or done. Some offenses can be quite severe. Abandonment, the aftermath of addiction, infidelity, assault, or some other human failing. There are also more minor offenses. An unkind word, thoughtless or rude behavior. But even a series of minor offenses can build up over time. Things can start to feel like an iceberg when this happens. Not much is visible above the surface, but just below the water line, there’s a mountain weighing you down.

I like to joke that my memory is like a sieve. Unless that memory pertains to something bad. If I’ve been wronged, my recall seems to be quite good. But when I cling to memories that are tied to unforgiveness, it can feel like a prison. It doesn’t matter whether I’m unwilling to forgive someone else or myself. Both will steal my peace and my joy. I essentially become a prisoner. Have you ever felt this way? If you have, why not consider breaking free?

Finding the Path to Forgiveness

The road to freedom begins when we acknowledge we have been offended. If we hold onto offenses without recognizing them, a strange thing can happen. We feel we are owed a debt by the person who wronged us. The quicker we admit we’re offended, the quicker we can move on to forgiveness. Once we have done that, we turn toward Jesus, the one who has settled all sin debts. Jesus did this through his sacrifice on the cross. This includes all of the people who have sinned against us. We surrender our right to claim these debts because of the price that Jesus paid. We surrender judgment over to God. Then we can ask God to bless those that have wronged us and seek a way forward into freedom. You may even need to do this daily for major offenses.J

Jesus is the Foundation

Forgiving someone doesn’t mean what they did was acceptable. But it is being obedient in God’s eyes. We should also seek reconciliation with those that have wronged us and those we have wronged. But recognize that you can’t control the results when you undertake this process. That’s why it’s so important to embrace the foundation that Jesus laid. It is a foundation for freedom through the forgiveness he gained for all. This is the path which leads to freedom, and will also result in greater peace and joy in your life.

Going Deeper

The Bait of Satan: Living Free From the Deadly Trap of Offense by John Bevere is an amazing book with an ominous sounding title. This book has been an instrumental resource for me. In fact I recently read it for the 2nd time and it continues to expand my understanding and strengthen my commitment to gain freedom from offense.

If you ever have the opportunity to experience a Sozo session, I highly recommend doing so. Sozo, a Greek word found in the New Testament over 100 times, means “to save, heal, deliver, restore, preserve, make whole.”  The Sozo ministry at Hosanna! connects people with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to help in the healing of past and present wounds. This step in my forgiveness journey was nothing short of life-changing!