Day 16 - 40 Day Prayer & Empowerment Challenge

“I will forgive but I won’t forget.”  I have heard this statement more than you know.  What this announcement really indicates is that “I will be cordial and look like I am moving on, but I am not forgiving you, yet.”  Do you have to forget in order to forgive?  Absolutely not; but, setting your intentions on remembering is simply staying focused on the offense, which means you are not letting it go and you’re not forgiving.

If you burn your hand on the stove, you don’t stay mad at the stove.  You forgive it because in order to cook your meals you must interact with it.  You may handle it differently, because of your recollection of how you harmed yourself when you used it before.  However, over time you become at ease and less guarded with it and rarely if ever bring up the burn again.  The stove is essential to your survival and serves you well, so one little offense here and there will not leave you in a state of bitterness towards it.

What about those mornings that you stub your toe on the bed post?  This is another instance where forgiving comes so naturally.  After you accidentally run into the post while walking around your room, you begin to hop around all morning using words that you would not want anyone to hear coming out of your mouth.  Those toe injuries can be the worst and you don’t need a bed post to survive or thrive, but somehow you manage to get on with your day without constantly recalling the pain you felt in the moment. 

When it comes to one’s heart and feelings, forgiveness becomes a daunting task.  When one bruises our ego, it we latch on to our side, our way, our anger and resentment, like we’ll never get the chance to be hurt again.  We sometimes place undue guilt and weight on the person who we believed has harmed us more than what the offense even warrants.  When will we value people more than the stove and the bed post?  When will we love ourselves enough to allow our hearts to heal as quickly as our bodies after the assault of physical pain?  We owe it to ourselves to be forgiving, to preserve the right relationships, and sever the ties in others by letting go of the offense and by doing what it takes to heal our souls.  Ask yourself the questions, “When will I begin to nurture my soul and spirit the way I nurture my body?” and “How long will I allow myself to be resentful about any wrongdoing done against me?” 

Lord, I pray for my sister today that she realizes that she gets to decide how long she will be angry and resentful over wrongful acts conducted towards her.  I pray that she is realistic in her charges towards others and that she will allow her heart to hurt only for a short time if any at all.  I ask God that you heal her from the part of the ego that deem it necessary to call everything that is said or done to her as wrong and causes unwarranted strife in her relationships.  Holy Spirit, I ask for your conviction to be upon her in every situation she encounters and that she is fair and just of her judgments about them, not assuming that everyone is out to harm her.  Heal her, Lord, and set her free from her need to be angry, resentful, and defending, I pray! Amen! 

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