When God Speaks

I have heard many different ways on how to forgive someone, but have learned that forgiveness is only possible through God’s grace. What does this mean? God’s grace is something we do not deserve. It is freely given by God so we cannot work to get it. When we forgive another person, we choose to let go of any anger, resentfulness, or score keeping we might have toward someone who we feel has wronged us in some way. Forgiveness is a choice that is possible although feels impossible. On our own, we cannot do this, but staying close to God, we find it possible eventually. You see, when our thoughts are on the Lord we begin to become like Him. Just as a couple that has been married for a while starts to look alike ( the resemblance is not in physical attributes, but in how they do and think alike ), so do we begin to look like God. Since God is a Spirit, we cannot look like Him physically because He has no physical body, so, we must look like Him in how we carry ourselves. When kids hang out together a lot, they begin doing the same things the others do because where you spend your time is where you get your attributes. A person’s ways will Rub off on another so the resemblance becomes the same. If we are spending time with God, His ways will Rub off on us and because God is forgiveness, we, too begin to forgive others.

Now, that being said, we must make a decision as to will we continue a relationship with the one we forgave? Forgiveness is a must, but a relationship is not. You will know when you have truly forgiven because your thoughts toward them are thoughts of goodwill toward them. They no longer take up space in your head. It doesn’t hurt anymore when their name is mentioned. Please know that to forgive someone does not mean you must be in relationship with them. But, you must release the anger, bitterness and such toward them for forgiveness to be complete. This may take time, but the more time you spend with God, the quicker it will occur. The time spent with God does not have to be about your forgiving that person either, just spend time getting to know Him and His grace will be on you.

While there you just may find that some responsibility of the event to forgive remains with you. When you are truly seeking God the first place to clean up is yourself. God will not tell us about another person’s shortcomings, but He will tell you about your own. It is up to us to look into another person’s heart and find maybe why they are like they are. Nine times out of ten, they have experienced a hurt somewhere that has absolutely nothing to do with you. So, seek God, clean yourself up, and look deep to find brokenness in another. If you have done these things, forgiveness has taken place and you know what? I think you are beginning to look like God. Be blessed as you sojourn this world with like minded people.