GRACE TO FORGIVE

Matthew 6:12  "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

Forgiving is sometimes very difficult.  Just when I think I have no unforgiveness in me, something will spring up.....I can assure you it is not myself that has brought this up, but my Lord, through His Spirit, His Holy Spirit, my dearest Friend, who has caused these things to surface.  And I think to myself, I am sure I have forgiven all.....but as the Lord shows me, if I think of these things, of what was done, if those things still cause me pain, then I have not completely forgiven them.  When you truly forgive, when there is no longer any unforgiveness in a situation, the pain of what happened will be gone and although there may be sadness when it comes to mind, and trust me, the enemy will see that it comes to mind, but after the completed work of forgiveness through the grace of our Lord, these things will no longer affect you.  You will think perhaps of them for a moment, and the response will be, "Thank You, Lord, for Your grace in which I was able to forgive".

So many people go around with such unforgiveness inside, and it has been there so long, they no longer consider it sin.  It becomes a part of their life, just part of who they are.  A lot of time they can't remember why they feel the way they do, it is just there.  We all want to be held by our loving Father, knowing that there is nothing standing between us, knowing that we can be righteous in His sight, but when we feel that distance, that space that we don't seem to be able to cross, no matter how much we worship our Beloved Lord, no matter how much we pray and seek His face....there is that strange distance.  If we ask, if we truly desire to know, the Holy Spirit will bring up to the surface, anything that is not of God.  Do not ask if you are not ready to deal with it.  For once it is on the surface it will stay there until you either ask the Lord for His grace to forgive this hurt, or you decide you will just keep things the way they have been, bottled up inside, relentlessly troubled and broken in spirit.

Thank You, Lord, for Your grace to forgive.  Thank You, Holy Spirit for bring anything that is hidden, undealt with deep inside me to the surface so I can deal with it, in the Lord's Light of love, and rid myself of anything that would keep me from the sweet presence of my God.  Your grace still amazes me, Lord, it never runs dry, it never stops flowing down to me, each moment of each day.  I can do all things in You, through Your grace and with Your love.  With Your grace I am forgiven, and with Your grace, I forgive.  I am thine, O Lord, I have heard thy call.  You gave Your love to me, I will give Your love to all.

05-23-12