COMPLETE FORGIVENESS

I realise I have spoken about forgiveness before - but I keep coming back to it because it is so vital. I think if I could sum up Christianity in one word it would be Forgiveness. It was the example set by Jesus when he died on the cross. On Sunday we heard such an excellent message from one of our elders Gerhard and I felt I had to share it.

Unforgiveness leads to bitterness which leads to bondage. To completely forgive someone may be a very difficult thing to do - but it will be the most rewarding and freeing thing you can ever do. When we forgive someone we give up our right to revenge. The bible says in Romans 12:19
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

Now you may be wondering "What is complete forgiveness?" The following points will help you with that:

1) Complete forgiveness is being aware of the wrongs done to you yet still forgiving that person.

2) Complete forgiveness is a choice to keep no records of the wrongs done to you.

3) Complete forgiveness is refusing to punish. This is the essence of forgiveness.

4) Complete forgiveness is not telling of the wrongs that have been done to you.

Complete forgiveness is asking God to bless those who have wronged you and asking God to keep no record of their wrongs either.

If you read the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his own brothers because they were jealous of him you will find a very powerful example of forgiveness. About twenty years after they did this and Joseph had been promoted to some one with the stature of a president today, his brothers came to Egypt to beg for food because the famine had left them with nothing. Joseph's brothers believed that the famine was their punishment for selling their brother into slavery (Gen 42:21). And when they stood before Joseph and he finally revealed who he was to them, he was not bitter and he in fact told them that it was God who had sent him ahead of them so that he would be able to store up food for them for the famine - when all the time it was his brothers who sold him into slavery(Gen 45 v 1 - 15). That is amazing!! I am sure his brothers thought they were done for when they saw it was Joseph, but he wanted to embrace them and let them know that they were forgiven. He asked about his father and did everything he could to allay their fears. In the twenty years in Egypt Joseph had learned much from God and forgiveness was one of them.

So, how do you know when have completely forgiven some one?

1) Do not let anyone know what someone has done to you. Joseph could have gone straight to his father to tell him where he had been and how he got there, but he didn't because he had forgiven his brothers.

2) Do not allow anybody to be afraid or intimidated by you because of what they have done. You know how it is when some one who had wronged you walks into the same room as you and you immediately stiffen up and bristle at them. You make that person feel afraid or intimidated.

3) You will want the person to forgive them self and not feel guilty.

4) You will let that person save face by hiding their wrong from others.

5) You will want to protect them from their greatest fears of revenge or punishment. See 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Forgiveness IS love!!

Forgiveness is a life long process and we need to trust God that we will be able to deal with unforgiveness in our lives swiftly.

As I have said before - Unforgiveness is like a slow poison and does far more harm to your emotional self than to the one you are holding onto that unforgiveness for. And as you begin to forgive and let go of those hurts you are holding onto, you begin to feel free and your burdens become less and lighter. And once you have forgiven some one and laid the wrong they have done at His feet, asked him to forgive them and keep no record of their wrongs then that is where you leave it. Don't talk about ti again or continue to tell people what was done to you because if you do that means you have not completely forgiven that person and you still wnat them to pay for what they did. And you don't truly free yourself from the burden of unforgiveness. The bible also says that if we don't forgive others God cannot forgive us (Matt 6 v 14 & 15) and also in the prayer Jesus taught His disciples says "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" Can you see why I feel forgiveness is SO important?

Don't carry such heavy burdens in your heart. Give it all to Jesus and He will deal with it for you.