Freedom in Forgiveness
Greetings sisters in Christ!
I pray you are thankful in this day the Lord has made!
I hope this post on forgiveness sets some sisters free. In keeping with the guidelines for women, this post is not teaching what forgiveness is, it's an encouragement for sisters to forgive themselves.
It's common for women to forgive others, yet harbor guilt and un-forgiveness in themselves for what has transpired prior to being in Christ. Many of you, like me, were not a new creation in Christ until later in your years, after your children were grown and gone. Likewise you taught them how to sin (like I did), not knowing the truth of God and even though you may have had some morals from the false man made religious system, they moved out on their own, living lives for themselves outside of God.
I went through many years of self hatred because of that, knowing I was forgiven from the Father, but I could not forgive myself. I had given them the gospel once I was born again and tried many times over the years to share the truth of God's word and the difference between the lies of man made religion vs the truth of the Bible, but they weren't interested. One day brother Jim was talking to a man who was seeking the things of God and told him that people need to learn how to forgive themselves. That sunk deep in me and I went to the Father to help my heart heal to the point that I could do that.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Psalm 86:5
I pondered the possibility that if I were to forgive others lest I not be forgiven, could it be that if I didn't forgive myself, would I not be forgiven?
I had to learn to trust my Father in that I did the best I could and that they are all in His hands now. The best thing I can do is be a shining light of truth and continue in my walk, looking forward, not back.
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
Over the years I have learned the depths of what that verse means by not being fit for the kingdom of God, or anything for that matter. (We also cannot have partiality for our own over the rest of the world.)
Praise God I have (somewhat) mastered my flesh in this area several years ago but I do still have to be careful not to allow myself to wander back into that area lest I be taken back into that darkness of un-forgiveness and guilt.
This helped me then and now:
And this...
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
Isaiah 43:18
We all have a godly family in Christ that consists of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children. We may not see us all but we are out here, scattered where the Lord has us. Praise God, some day we shall all meet up and rejoice in the Lord together!
March on sisters!
I leave you with this:
Have a joyous day tomorrow, looking ahead at what's to come.
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
I pray you are thankful in this day the Lord has made!
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Colossians 3:15-17I hope this post on forgiveness sets some sisters free. In keeping with the guidelines for women, this post is not teaching what forgiveness is, it's an encouragement for sisters to forgive themselves.
It's common for women to forgive others, yet harbor guilt and un-forgiveness in themselves for what has transpired prior to being in Christ. Many of you, like me, were not a new creation in Christ until later in your years, after your children were grown and gone. Likewise you taught them how to sin (like I did), not knowing the truth of God and even though you may have had some morals from the false man made religious system, they moved out on their own, living lives for themselves outside of God.
I went through many years of self hatred because of that, knowing I was forgiven from the Father, but I could not forgive myself. I had given them the gospel once I was born again and tried many times over the years to share the truth of God's word and the difference between the lies of man made religion vs the truth of the Bible, but they weren't interested. One day brother Jim was talking to a man who was seeking the things of God and told him that people need to learn how to forgive themselves. That sunk deep in me and I went to the Father to help my heart heal to the point that I could do that.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Psalm 86:5
I pondered the possibility that if I were to forgive others lest I not be forgiven, could it be that if I didn't forgive myself, would I not be forgiven?
I had to learn to trust my Father in that I did the best I could and that they are all in His hands now. The best thing I can do is be a shining light of truth and continue in my walk, looking forward, not back.
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
Over the years I have learned the depths of what that verse means by not being fit for the kingdom of God, or anything for that matter. (We also cannot have partiality for our own over the rest of the world.)
Praise God I have (somewhat) mastered my flesh in this area several years ago but I do still have to be careful not to allow myself to wander back into that area lest I be taken back into that darkness of un-forgiveness and guilt.
This helped me then and now:
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:25-27And this...
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
Isaiah 43:18
We all have a godly family in Christ that consists of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children. We may not see us all but we are out here, scattered where the Lord has us. Praise God, some day we shall all meet up and rejoice in the Lord together!
March on sisters!
I leave you with this:
Have a joyous day tomorrow, looking ahead at what's to come.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...