Forgiving everything, all the time!

     I tell you, walking the Christian walk sometimes appears to be the hardest thing to do.  An issue that I'm constantly being tested on is my ability to forgive others for their trespasses against me.  We are to be able to forgive infinitely and if we can't, how can we expect The Father to forgive us?

     I remember, one time, my mother pointed out that we are to forgive 777x777777.  I looked at her and said, "I'm not Jesus mother"!  But like everything else she's ever said to me, she's right, and if you've got half a brain, you'll never argue with your mother.  Not only is arguing with your mother disrespectful, but you may not come out on the other side of that argument.  Trust me on this.  You wouldn't be the first child to lose your life from talking back to your mama.

     Anyways, forgiving someone for something they've done against you isn't really about giving that person another chance.  It's about letting go of the pain that person caused you as a result of what they did to you.  Forgiving allows you to move forward and not hold on to that pain.  I didn't know, nor practice this theory for many of my adult years.  I'm not an angry person per se, but if you happen to be one of the unfortunate people who can challenge my happiness, then I feel for you.  I've been known to give silent treatments, sharp cutting eyes, hard, cold, soul penetrating words of discouragement and on the rare occasion, physical violence when someone has trespassed against me.  Do you know who hurt the most from the above actions?  Me!  I'm the one who suffered the most, from my own actions, against what someone else did to me.  Imagine that.  I'm hurt more because of my reaction to someones inconsideration of my feelings, wants and needs.

     I know that forgiveness is ultimately what will start the healing process.  I know from experience that forgiving others gives me great relief, but even knowing this, I still am slow to forgive because my flesh loves to be miserable.  If I allowed my flesh to run my life I would surely be dead.  Believe that!  I followed my flesh for many years through drugs, adultery, stealing, violence, debauchery, idol worship, and the bottom line, when it was all added up, I was miserable.  I use to hold grudges, for years, against certain people, who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent.  I use to thrive on the hate and anger that was manifested in my heart because of some trespass someone committed against me.  I use to love to make others feel as miserable as I was feeling because I didn't know I could release myself from the agony I was in.

     Fast forward to today and I'm a different person, obviously because I'm born-again with new spirit and insight.  It is easier, today, to forgive others, than it was previously.  Honestly, I can't hold on to anger and hate for longer than a day, which is a great improvement.  Eventually, I will get to a level where I never harbor ill-will toward others.  I love The Lord, Jesus Christ!