Family Matters- Forgiveness Brings Freedom

Think about the Lord’s Prayer. It’s not just something that was made up. Jesus shared that prayer with His disciples as a model for how to pray. We find it in Matthew 6:9-13. Think about what we are really saying when we say, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Are we asking God to offer us forgiveness as we offer forgiveness to others? Now that’s a little challenging isn’t it? I know it is for me. What does that mean to me if I am unforgiving of other people? Does that mean God will not forgive me? Wooooahhhhh. Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a better past. No matter how many times we re-live something, it never changes. We can never make the past better than it was. Is there something in your past that has a hold on you? Have you tried to let go? Have you sought help in letting it go? If not, maybe this is the time to seek that help. It has been said that God never wastes a hurt. I don’t think that means that God brings hurt to us in order to use it for some good. On the other hand, I think it DOES mean that God can take the hurts we experience and bring some good out of them. Have you had hurt or pain in your life that God has brought good out of? Have you shared that with anyone? Is there someone who needs to hear your story in order to help with their healing? Always remember, when we forgive someone, we are not saying that what they did to us was okay. What we are saying is that we are not going to be controlled by it any longer. It’s interesting….some people are still controlling us long after they are dead, long after they are in the grave. If that is true for you, is it time to let it go? Is it time to stop being controlled by the actions of someone who no longer is with us? If you need some help with this, let us know.