Forgiveness Requires Commitment
Scripture: “So when you offer your gift to God at the altar, and you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there at the altar. Go and make peace with that person, and then come and offer your gift.” (NCV)
Affirm: I am committed to full forgiveness of myself and others because I am committed to peace.
Dear Prosperity Partners and Friends,
Hello! I pray that each of you continually treats yourself with the loving care that you deserve—not just on Valentine’s Day, but all year long.
February, the month of LOVE, invited us to look at love through the lens of Forgiveness. We have learned that forgiveness is about ourselves and not others. We also learned that forgiveness invites us to ‘exchange’ toxic emotions for positive emotions. We further learned that forgiveness is about releasing or putting back what never belonged to us in the first instance. We are not like the bear who hold on to ‘hot stuff’ to his/her own detriment. Instead, we willingly let go, release, exchange or put back, whatever is not our spiritual inheritance.
Sunday’s lesson, Forgiveness Requires a Commitment, reminded us that many persons avoid the topic of Forgiveness because the decision to forgive requires a commitment; a commitment to forgive as many times as it takes to let go, release, or put back what doesn’t belong to you. A commitment to forgiving ourselves is also critical.
Major Points:
- Forgiveness requires a commitment to:
- Forgive yourself and others for perceived errors, wrongs, and harms done.
- Forgive an endless number of times, in an infinite number of ways. c. Forgive the ‘easy’ as well as the ‘hard’ stuff.
- Give up the 3 R’s. Rehearse, Replay, Relive.
- Make peace with that which you determine to be ‘unforgivable.’ Let’s rehearse, replay, and relive the dream God has placed in our heart, not the fears we have picked up along life’s highway. Fear is ‘hot stuff’ and we don’t have to hold on to it. Let’s join efforts and Let It Go!
- Peace is not bestowed from ‘out there’. Rather, it comes as a gift that you make room to receive. We clear the way for ‘Peace’ within our soul when we:
- Speak to the person who offended us first, before speaking to others (when this is appropriate).
- Refuse to wait for an apology from the offending party.
- Believe that God’s goodness before us is massive in comparison to whatever is behind us.
- Look around and notice the people who are facing higher hurdles than We can imagine, and are encouraged by their faith, courage, and conviction.
‘Be of good courage’, says Psalm 31:24. (NKJV) Be courageous enough to address harm done to you or another. Because forgiveness is for you, forgive yourself first. You are worth it. God’s plan for your life cannot be thwarted. Believe this. Know that there are people who have gone before you and faced higher hurdles that you can imagine. Yet, with God’s help, they made it over the hurdle. Know that you can, too.
Quotes to Ponder:
‘Not every relationship is intended to last for a lifetime; often it is necessary for people to part ways…for each one to experience his or her highest good. Whether the second party is a family member, friend, business partner, or romantic partner, we must learn to forgive and release him or her and make a peace agreement. You can make a peace agreement without reconciliation, even if the second party is hostile. The peace begins with you.’
Dr. Mary Tumpkin’s, Before You Pray Forgive, pg. 25
Let’s Pray:
God of Creation,
I am committed to a lifestyle of Forgiveness. Rather than waiting for someone to forgive me, I forgive myself. As I do, I ‘put back’ or ‘release’ what You never intended for me to accept in the first instance. I accept that Your nature of ‘absolute good’ is my nature. I affirm the ‘Christ’ in others, even when it is not apparent in their behaviour. I give thanks that all things are working together for my good. As I forgive, the slate is cleaned, and I, too, am forgiven. Amen.
