Forgiving
This step is the hardest one we don't want to forgive because we don't want to admit that we are in the wrong so we blame someone else for our problems and wrongdoings.
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 KJV"
Jesus Christ forgave us so we need to forgive others. But before we do that we need to forgive ourselves. That is one another is because we can't forgive ourselves for what we did or said in the past.
So before we can forgive someone else we need to forgive ourselves.
"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3:13 KJV"
We can't be complaining about not being the one that needs to be forgiven first. We need to get over whatever happens and forgive one another as Christ forgave us.
When we forgive, we are set free. I learned then the hard way. When I was younger then I am now I did stupid things that I'm not proud of. I didn't have Jesus in my life. Yes, I am in the church but I wasn't living a Holy life. I was living a sinful life. But once I fully and truly gave myself to God, I felt like I was a new person but there was something wrong so when I would pray about why I couldn't forgive them I felt like something was holding me back. So I would pray against it and then God opened my spiritual eyes so I could see what was in my way and what I saw was a wall with the word Forgiveness. When I saw that word the first thought that came to my mind was what but I did forgive every one that did me wrong. But God said 'Yes, but we're you truly sorry?'
I had to think about that and I remember I truly wasn't sorry, Then right then and there I asked God to help me forgive them but what he told me was that I needed to forgive myself first then I would truly forgive them.
But I didn't want to because I thought that I didn't need to forgive myself, so I would push it to the side over and over again, and then I would go back to my normal day. But then one day when I was praying for my older brother God told me I have to forgive myself before my brother would forgive me. So right then and there I forgive myself and then everyone else. Once I did that I felt a weight being left off my shoulders and then God refilled me with the Holy Ghost. After that, it becomes easier to forgive others.
"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Matthew 6:12 KJV"
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15 KJV"
After we forgive ourselves we need to forgive one another for doing wrong and hurting us. Then God will forgive us and if we don't forgive one another then God will not forgive us. There is a story in the bible that tells us about a man who was forgiven of his debt by his master, but after that, he saw a fellow servant that owed him a hundred pence (that was like 10 dollars back then). And he didn't forgive his fellow servant and then he threw his fellow servant in prison when his master found out about it he was given to the tormentors. (if you want to read this story then go to Matthew 18:21-35)
If we don't forgive our brother for their trespassing then God will not forgive us nor will anyone else forgive us. We need to forgive others and ourselves seventy times seven that is a lot and that is in one day that's not the whole year. Once we forgive ourselves and others then we can move on.
Now to end this chapter and step so we can move on to the next one let spin time with God and ask him to bring up any forgiveness in our lives, and don't put it off to the side because as you do then that could be the end, now when God give you a name then pick up the phone or if you are at church with them go to them, and if they live with you then go to them and ask forgiveness.
