Daily Devotional for Sunday July 8, 2007

Forgive those who have hurt you

(Mark 11:25; Colossians 3:13) > > Not one person reading this Devotional > today, has not had someone at some point in your life hurt you. Some of > you > may have been physically or sexually abused as a child by a mother, a > father, a relative, or someone your family knew. Some of you may have had > a > wonderful childhood, but in your young adult life been hurt by a boyfriend > or girlfriend. Some of you may have been the victim of a horrible crime > like robbery or rape. > > Still others may have been deeply hurt by your husband or wife that wanted > a > divorce. There are many of you that have been hurt later in life by your > children. Lots of people reading this have been hurt by employers, > business > associates, or close friends. Sadly, some of you have even been hurt by a > pastor or someone in your church. The fact is, EVERYONE reading this > today > has been hurt at some point in your life. > > As painful as the experience was that caused this hurt in your life, so > many > people have compounded that pain by letting bitterness, even hatred into > their life against the person or people who caused your pain. Today, I am > going to help set you free from this hurt and pain you have experienced in > your life. > > In a prison, they have a central lock that can automatically open all of > the > cell doors in a given area. If you have ever been in prison or watched a > prison movie you know what I am talking about. There is the loud buzz, > followed by the clanking sound of all of the cell doors automatically > opening. Today, many of you are in prison from the hurts and pains in > your > life. Today, the cell door is going to open and you are going to be > FREE!!! > > The key to unlocking that door is FORGIVENESS. As simple as this may > seem, > it can be one of the most difficult things in this world to do. Forgiving > someone who has hurt us deeply is one of the hardest things to do in life. > It is not something that we can even do in our own strength, but must be > done in the strength we get from the Lord. > > I realize that many people right now are saying, "NO WAY, not after what > that person did to me." As a Christian, it should be our goal to be like > our Lord every day. What were some of the last words Christ spoke from > the > cross? What was his last act before dying that horrific death? He asked > God to forgive those who had crucified Him! > > When we sin, and we all sin every day, what do we do? We go to God and > ask > Him to forgive us. We do so with the full assurance that He will forgive > us > because He has promised to in His Word. In Colossians 3:13 the Bible > tells > us to "forgive as the Lord forgave you." > > God's Word is clear that just as Christ forgives us when we sin against > Him, > we must forgive those who sin against us! That is the key to unlocking > the > prison door and being free once and for all from the hurt and pain you > have > experienced in your life. FORGIVE the person or people who have hurt you > in > your life! > > The other problem I deal with each day is people not being able to forgive > themselves. Listen, the Bible tells us that we have "all come short of > the > glory of God." We are all sinners. We all make mistakes. When you go to > God and confess your sins, the Bible promises us that He not only forgives > us but cleanses us from all unrighteousness. He not only has forgiven us, > but He has forgotten the transgression. God acts like it never happened. > The point I'm trying to make is that if God has forgiven you, if God has > wiped the slate clean, if in God's mind the sin never existed...then you > need to forgive yourself. > > I love you and care about you so much. I realize that this is a difficult > word for many of you to hear today, but this is going to literally change > the lives of those who will receive it...and do it! I want you to take a > moment right now, stop what you are doing, and take out a piece of paper > and > a pen. Literally write down the name of the person or names of the people > in your life who have hurt you deeply. Now, pray this prayer, > > "Dear Father, I come to you today, thanking you that you love me so much. > I > thank you that you are not only a God of love, but a God of forgiveness. > Thank you for forgiving me of my sins. Father, I come today and pray that > you will give me YOUR strength to forgive those who have hurt me in my > life. > Right now, this moment, I forgive (name/names). I not only forgive them, > but Father, I ask that you bless them. They need you in their life and I > pray that they will come to have a personal, intimate relationship with > your > Son. Thank you for giving me the strength to forgive and thank you for > setting me free from the pain in my life. In Jesus precious name I pray, > AMEN!" > > I will be praying for each of you today to pray this prayer. It is time > to > forgive those who have hurt you, and it is time to forgive yourself if > need > be. Put the hurt and pain of your past behind you once and for all and > move > forward with your life. God still has much left for you to do and by > forgiving those who have hurt you, you are now free to do all that He > wants > to do in and through your life for His Kingdom!