The Healing Power of Forgiveness

[*AQuietPlace*]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Being able to forgive, and love -both God and your fellow man, are the greatest commandments given. I have fun reading debates on standards but consider them soooooooo far down the path of what is really important that they are almost nothing more then an intellectual game for me. People talking about hair length is in the same category (compared to the topic at hand) as that of a word puzzle in the Sunday paper. As well as many other issues which some people base their very salvation on.

Jam 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Sometimes we forget this.

[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by *AQuietPlace*

Jam 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Sometimes we forget this.

Harbouring unforgiveness is one of the many spots of the world..........

[LaVonne]

What a great thread...I feel so encouraged by all these wonderful testimonies!

[LaVonne]

Originally Posted by *AQuietPlace*

Jam 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Sometimes we forget this.

This is one of my favorite scriptures!

[RevDWW]

[/COLOR]Matthew 6 (KJV) 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 18(KJV)
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Note the words are in red. I think we can believe the speaker.........I think He means it!

[RandyWayne]

So why isn't this hammered from the pulpit night after night?

[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

So why isn't this hammered from the pulpit night after night?

We should hear more of it. We may argue over cut or uncut, but there is no arguing about forgiving or not forgiving.

[ForeverBlessed]

Originally Posted by Barb

One of the greatest examples I ever saw of forgiveness in action was my grandmother...

Briefly, my grandfather was a streat running heathen...I can say this because he was my grandfather and because it is true. He had two children by her SIL and many girlfriends beside.

Years later he left Grandma for one of them and they were married.

Following her divorce, Grandma got saved and put the past behind her, developing a friendship with the new wife.

After good ole granddad divorced wife #2, she came to the Lord...attending the SAME church and sitting with Grandma at every service!!

My unsaved aunts couldn't understand this, but Grandma always just said, "It is over!!"

This is the first time I've read this... thanks for sharing..

I also know what it is to sit on the same pew with the woman who is/was married to your ex-husband.

During our divorce proceedings, God gave me a vision of her receiving the H.G. in church... I was praying for the situation... I didn't want to pray for this woman, but felt led to do so anyway. Approx 2 years after the divorce, Karla received the Holy Ghost in the very spot I saw her recieving it... I had long forgiven both my ex and her... but have to say it is a very different feeling to stand in the altars where you were married, where you dedicated babies to the Lord with your husband.... and then some years later, pray and worship with your ex husband and his new wife.

I know God to be a healer of wounded hearts and I'm thankful he gave me a heart of forgiveness... life is far too short to spend in bitterness towards anyone.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by ForeverBlessed

This is the first time I've read this... thanks for sharing..

I also know what it is to sit on the same pew with the woman who is/was married to your ex-husband.

During our divorce proceedings, God gave me a vision of her receiving the H.G. in church... I was praying for the situation... I didn't want to pray for this woman, but felt led to do so anyway. Approx 2 years after the divorce, Karla received the Holy Ghost in the very spot I saw her recieving it... I had long forgiven both my ex and her... but have to say it is a very different feeling to stand in the altars where you were married, where you dedicated babies to the Lord with your husband.... and then some years later, pray and worship with your ex husband and his new wife.

I know God to be a healer of wounded hearts and I'm thankful he gave me a heart of forgiveness... life is far too short to spend in bitterness towards anyone.

Glory to God!!
He is able to take the broken pieces and the evil that our enemy meant for harm and destruction and bring about good, healing, peace, and salvation. He does all things good.

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

I found myself one time in a very strange circumstance. My first wife had been murdered. We had been married for just over 10 years and, while volunteering in a "charity-type" store, she was robbed and murdered.

My life spiraled downward after that. I left the ministry, left God, and got involved in drinking and drugs. I became estranged from our children and life as I knew it was over. For years I felt abandoned, isolated from anything and everybody. But still, through it all, I could hear the Lord calling.

The men who killed my wife were caught and I finally had someone to direct my rage against. I wanted to kill them. I planned it, dreamed it. I intended to find a way. Until I realized that, while some might seek to justify my actions, I would be no different from them. Taking their lives would not bring my wife back, nor would it make my life any easier. So...I did the only thing I could do. I called on God. He showed me that mu forgiveness would do nothing for those men- but it would do me alot of good. It would put me on the road to healing. So...I forgave. I do forgive. One of the men has since died and I pray he was ready to meet God. The other will die in prison. I pray he will find God.
Forgiveness does nothing for the offender. It doesn't let them off the hook, nor does it wipe their slate clean. But it does mine. It removes the hatred... the bitterness. It puts me on the road to a right relationship with God. I'm not there yet. Closer. But not there.

This must have been difficult to share so publically. May God bless you for your transparency. The truth is...the people who would do such things as this would never give you or I another thought so, as you have stated, the forgiveness is about you being able to go on with your life and be happy and nothing about them.

I have been in such circumstances and a friend told me the above and I realized they were right. Bitterness and anger only hurt you...it has no affect on them. I refuse to give another moment of control to people who have dismissed me long ago. Traveling on...as you have done.

Blessings, Rhoni