FORGIVENESS,
HOW DO WE FORGIVE?
By Evangelist Rev. Diana Gray
Copyrighted (c) 2002- 2004  All Rights Reserved
KJV Bible Used

     A special area of needed healing is that of hurting feelings and emotions stemming from past memories.  Scripture calls bruised past emotions as well as physical and moral weaknesses, "infirmities." 

• Luke 7:21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 

       A special area of needed healing is that of hurting feelings and emotions stemming from past memories.  Scripture calls bruised past emotions as well as physical and moral weaknesses, "infirmities." 

• Luke 7:21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.  

       Look at problems that have arisen from past painful, inner memories and we see the memory and sin of “un-forgiveness.”  How do you forgive someone for hurting the little child that you were a long time ago?  How do you forgive the pain and agony that you feel now over some past hurt caused by someone from your distant past?  Maybe that person’s no longer living who hurt you or maybe they are long moved away, so how do you forgive? 

      I want to share with you something; you still have that little child with you right now inside of your heart.  Yes, this is true!  The little child you were when you were growing up is inside of you in your memories, feelings and emotions.  A precious inner child that will always be part of you is still with you even today.  For some people, this little, inner child never felt loved or even had basic parental nurturing.  There are a lot of children in this world who grow up not even knowing who their parents are because many parents are too busy with their own lives to be proper parents to their children or maybe that can’t be because they are a single parent do to divorced.

      Jesus Heals the Brokenhearted and how painful it feels to be unloved as a child. Those brokenhearted feelings can carry on into your adult life.  This kind of pain can stay with a person a life time.  Your feelings and emotions are still hurting and raw in certain areas that may yet need healing.  All of our lives we might strive to get healing of painful memories only to keep hurting; and hurting and hurting, (over and over and over again.)  It’s a struggle and in many cases seemingly impossible to do except that when we have Jesus Christ in our lives we can have victory over those feelings.  When Jesus is there in our lives than, we can have someone to turn to in time of need, we don’t always have to depend upon ourselves.

       People as adults may have trouble trying to reach out and love others because they lacked proper nurturing themselves as a child.  If this is you, I want you to do something for me, put your arms around yourself and just hug.  You might think that this is funny but I am serious.   Just give yourself a gentle sweet, nurturing hug. 
Every time the empty, lonely feelings well up within you, give yourself a tender, soothing hug even if you as a dignified adult feels funny hugging yourself, the child inside of you does and needs it badly. 

     Imagine yourself being hugged by the Lord.   It's healing and brings deep inner comfort to your very spirit.  Take the time to realize that there really is someone with you and his name is Jesus Christ if you have asked him into your heart.  It is an easy thing to admit that you have sinned and give your life to the Lord.  Salvation is a free gift for everyone, yet so many people miss the opportunity to give their lives to Jesus. 

      Say a little prayer and thank the Lord that you are no longer alone.  Why, because you have a loving Abba (Daddy,) Father God in your life.  Jesus Heals the Brokenhearted and He wants to heal your broken heart.  Not only is He in your life but He knows everything about you.  The Lord will never leave as long as you ask Him to stay.  You will find after awhile that your feelings of pain easing up and you’ll feel loved again.  It really does work and many people find it nurtures their spirit far more than they realize. 

     Un-forgiveness is often felt in the face of painful memories.  Without even realizing that you have them they can hinder your adult life. You can think that you have forgiven someone, but in reality you’re caring the pain of un-forgiveness. It’s in your heart buried deep below the surface ready to come out at any moment to cause more pain. 

     How do you forgive someone for a horrible act of pain and suffering they have done against you or someone you love?  Bless them!  That is right!  Every time a memory wells up within your heart ask the Lord to bless that person.   Pray for them with all of the will power that you have.  Ask the Lord to let them come to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.  Pray for their family, homes, cars, children, health, happiness, peace of mind, finances.....etc.  Every area of their lives, pray that the Lord bless then and give them a good life.  Do it in great love sacrificially as unto the Lord.

     The more the painful memory, the more prayers need to be said for that person. In other words the more the hurt or the deeper the hurt, pray good blessings for them out loud into their lives!  Don’t hide the fact that you are hurting but take that to the Lord in prayer too.   Tell the Lord everything in your life because he sees your pain and knows wants in your heart already. 

      God loves you and sees your pain but He also loves those who have hurt you too as His own dear children.  He knows they have triels and troubles too that must be dealt with.  Let God be God and you bless the other person just because He loves them.  If for no other reason than that realize that this is the will of the Father.  Even if they hurt you or someone you loved they are still God's children.  If for no other reason you need to bless them in your prayers.   God loves them and if you love God than you will do this for Him, and for yourself. 

     After all when we hate someone it’s really because they were mean to us or to someone else.  What we really want is for them to approve and love us the right way. We will see that quality in them if we can pray them into Heaven as the Lord desires us to.  Everyone has sin and who are you to hold the sins of another person against them when you have sin in your own life.  Let it go and give them to God with blessings into their lives.  Praying for them will ease the pain in your heart and release the forgiveness that you are holding from them.

     You need to realize and that praying for others is the desire of the Lord to help see that person in Heaven and when they are in Heaven they will love you the way they should have loved you here on earth. 

    Un-forgiveness can make you sick if you don’t forgive! Un-forgiveness can open up negative doorways for demonic activities.  Un-forgiveness allows Satan to bring sinful thoughts into your mind which will fester and spoil your body.  Un-forgiveness can hinder your feelings and emotions that in the long run will cause you more pain.  It’s a chain reaction. 

• Matthew 5:44-48 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite fully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 

     Make the person or persons something warm and sweet from your kitchen like a cake, cookies, pies, or sweets.  In other wards show them all the kindness you can!  You see the principle in action here is doing good to them that hate you.  By doing good to them you will be releasing the Holy Spirit power of God into their lives with more love than you can imagine.  Love them into Heaven and in the end you will be doing what your Father God would want you to be doing.  Love and treat your enemies the way you want to be treated. 

     Heaven is a beautiful place filled with great love and you will not feel the pain that you are now feeling on earth.  Praying someone into Heaven as well as showing them your love will be the most blessed thing you can do for the Lord.  It will be the most blessed thing you can do for them as well as for yourself too.  Jesus Heals the Brokenhearted and He will not only be healing your heart but He will be healing their heart from the hurts that you have caused them.  Remember there are things that you have done to hurt others as well.

      Here is what I do with hurt and offenses!  If I hurt someone else by thought word or deed, I do everything I can to make up to them including saying I am sorry.  If someone hurts “me” I will come back and give them the nicest pie I can make for them.  I have been known to make and give someone three coconut cream pies just because they hurt me.  The best ones I could make too.  Homemade bread, cookies or cake are good to give as well. The main thing is to do something or give something nice to them with all the love that you can give.  It will bring healing into your life and lift you up to God.  He sees your hurt and will help you through the pain.  It might not be easy; forgiving someone is never really easy but by doing an act of kindness will help in the end to release some of your pain. 

       Now the greater the offense and the deeper the hurt, the more you should show your love to the person or persons who hurt you.  Give them things, buy meals and generally show them all of the love and forgiveness you can.  Actions speak louder than words.

      Do they have to say they are sorry to you for what they did to you? Yes, but sadly they may never give you the apology you deserve to hear.  If you want your heart to heal though you have to show your love to everyone as Jesus would even to those who have hurt you.  Leave their sins with the Lord, you are responsible for your own sins and believe me, you have plenty of sin. 

      Put it this way, when you’re hurt by someone, ask yourself what would Jesus do and or what would He want you to do?  Once you realize that the Lord wants you to show love back to those who hurt you, then do it with all the love you can.  What I am suggesting is not easy but it really is the best way for healing and forgiveness to take place.  Heap lots, and lots of blessings upon them, and the more the hurt the more the blessings.  The deeper the hurt…strive to forgive them with your actions because, “Actions do speak louder than words!” Make up your mind to give back kindness to those who are not kind and you will be pleasing God.

• Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors 

     You can't go back into the past and change a thing can you?  If you want God to forgive you, you have to forgive yourself too.  If you’ve trouble forgiving still, start by speaking the words of forgiveness with your mouth out loud.  Say the words out loud often and loudly so that your ears hear what is said to strength your faith.  This works with forgiving others as well.  Speaking words of forgiveness out loud will make your head and heart come into line with the Word of God.  You will be making your body come into line with what the Holy Spirit is telling your heart to do.  What you speak with your tongue your mouth has the power of life or death over. 

• Job 22:28  Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy way. 

     Remember faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  When you boldly speak the Holy Word of God into your life your confidence and faith builds, and builds.  How long do you have to do this?  However long it takes to really and truly forgive and that could take months if the pain is really bad.  Keep blessing the other person or yourself until you no longer feel any pain.  The more you practice doing this the quicker each time it will become to forgive others when they have done something to you.

• Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and a evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 

• 2 Corinthians12:8-10 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

     Say to yourself that even when I am weak than I am strong!  You can be strong as long as you are doing the will of your Father in Heaven.  Loving and forgiving others is the most blessed thing you could be doing for anyone.  Strive to be more and more like Jesus and you will find comfort in His love and forgiveness for the hurts that come your way.  God heals wounds and in time will heal yours if you put into practice what has been taught here.   Jesus Heals the Brokenhearted and he wants to heal your broken heart too.  I love you!  Please know that you are dearly, dearly loved and precious to the Lord.  God bless you always in Jesus’ name amen.

• 2  Corinthians12:8-10 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

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