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When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray he included in that prayer forgiveness. How blessed we are to have a Lord willing to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and completely wipe the slate of guilt clean.
Matthew 6: 12-15 NIV
12 Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
14
For if you forgive men when they sin
against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will
not forgive your sins.
I remember well as a child going to my uncle's grocery store and taking a coloring book. I thought nothing of it at the time because he was family and that would make it ok.
I learned a lesson from my uncle I will never forget. My mother marched me back in to the store, had me tell him what I had done and I paid him with my own money. I also asked for forgiveness.
My uncle took the money from my hand, hugged me and as he looked me in the eyes he said, "I forgive you." Although I felt extremely ashamed, I also felt the peace and relief of telling the truth and receiving forgiveness.
Do we hold on to old hurts and anger? Jesus spoke strongly on the subject of forgiving. He commanded us to forgive, which means it not only is possible, but also, is a choice we must make to be forgiven.
To forgive is an action; we make an active choice to put the hurts, anger, strife behind us; and press on to the high calling of God. "But you don't know what they did to me." It doesn't matter, if we continue in UN-forgiveness, we harm ourselves.
Ask you doctor and he / she will tell you harbored anger and strife will eventually bring forth illness, and possibly shorten your life span. On the other hand, to forgive brings forth peace of mind, joy, and releases God's blessings.
Copyright Marie Williams
