Tough Subject----- Forgiveness

Hello everyone!

I apologize for my breif absence. I have been with my family for the last few days and I must say that I rather enjoyed them. While I was away, I was faced with a very important issue. Forgiveness.

I call this subject a tough one because this isn't always the easiest thing to do yet it can command so much power over the advancement of your life.

Allow me to explain.

A very wise man spoke with me one day concerning a member of my family in which I have A LOT of problems with. (Many of you probably share this with me. You know. That one person that has done you so wrong or that treats you badly seemingly whenever they feel like it.) Anyway, I hadn't spoken to this member of my family for a long time and I was perfectly fine with it. I was tired of them mistreating me. I was tired of feeling like all of my efforts were for nothing. I was tired of "looking over" little comments. Ya'll, I was just tired. I finally decided after yet another heated argument that I was done and I meant it. Though I felt free from their antics, I still felt bound by something. I felt like I was in a rut , like I couldnt progress any furthur than where I was at the time. I had no idea that the two had anything to do with each other. As I said above, a wise man asked me about the person and I told him that I was "through". He asked me to explain everything and I did. When I was done, he simply looked at me and said, " How many times has God had to forgive you?" My only answer was , " I don't know and I am not God."Then he said, " What if God said he was through?" Now, I am not gonna lie. I was very shaken but I wasn't going to show it. I began to battle within myself. I started to think, " God, I am not you! You can't expect me to do what you do!". As this man kept explaining I had to keep listening. He told me, "Maybe the reason you feel so stuck in life is because God is holding your progress because of you won't forgive." That made me madder. I am thinking, " How can God hold my stuff because of this ole rotten person? That's not fair!" Later on when I was alone, I really thought about all that was said. He was right. God has forgiven me literally thousands...... millions of times! But I was never as lowdown as this person is to me. Was I?

I decided to pray about it and I wrestled with it for days. I couldn't get around it. So, I decided, ok, Lord. I will forgive this person but You will have to help me with this. I did it and He did. I decided to keep my distance from this person but I have noticed that God has loosed many seemingly closed areas in my life since then.

In conclusion, I realize forgiving someone that has mistreated you is hard but continuing to hold the bad feelings in your heart give this person power over your life, happinessa and weel-being. Whom ever it is and whatever they have done, forgive them. If it is hard, ask God to help you. He will and your over all life will be so much better.

Until next time!