How Do I Know I Have Forgiven Someone?
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32
Sometimes, the best in you can only be brought out by the worst done to you. This usually happens by the people you have loved, helped, and trusted the most. There’s an old saying that “time heals all things.” Well, that is not true regarding offenses. Unforgiveness does not get better if you leave it alone or try to push it down. You either fester unforgiveness or you foster healing but you have to be doing one or the other. And if you choose to ignore the unforgiveness in your heart, it will get worse.
Paul’s letter in Ephesians gives a beautiful plan of action of how to release forgiveness. He says to first “put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, and harsh words.” Start by draining all the damaging emotions of unforgiveness out of your life. He goes on to say, “Be kind to one another and tenderhearted” (which means open-hearted). If you can’t say a kind word about that person or even look at them, you haven’t forgiven them.
Forgiveness may not instantly happen; sometimes, you need to ask God to help you release it. Pray, knock, and ask until love and forgiveness begin to pour out of your mouth, heart, emotions, and attitude. It may take you asking Jesus to change your heart because the hurt is so deep you cannot do it on your own.
A scripture in Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This means there are some people who are never going to be at peace with you, and that is not your problem. If you have forgiven them, you have done your part. What others do or don’t do is not your responsibility. They will stand before God one day and give an account.
Always keep the right spirit no matter what is done to you, and God will take care of everything else. Love God with all your heart, and love others as you love yourself. When you do that, you can rest assured that forgiveness has taken place in your life.
#Spiritual #Devotion
@Dagmawi_Babi
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32
Sometimes, the best in you can only be brought out by the worst done to you. This usually happens by the people you have loved, helped, and trusted the most. There’s an old saying that “time heals all things.” Well, that is not true regarding offenses. Unforgiveness does not get better if you leave it alone or try to push it down. You either fester unforgiveness or you foster healing but you have to be doing one or the other. And if you choose to ignore the unforgiveness in your heart, it will get worse.
Paul’s letter in Ephesians gives a beautiful plan of action of how to release forgiveness. He says to first “put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, and harsh words.” Start by draining all the damaging emotions of unforgiveness out of your life. He goes on to say, “Be kind to one another and tenderhearted” (which means open-hearted). If you can’t say a kind word about that person or even look at them, you haven’t forgiven them.
Forgiveness may not instantly happen; sometimes, you need to ask God to help you release it. Pray, knock, and ask until love and forgiveness begin to pour out of your mouth, heart, emotions, and attitude. It may take you asking Jesus to change your heart because the hurt is so deep you cannot do it on your own.
A scripture in Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This means there are some people who are never going to be at peace with you, and that is not your problem. If you have forgiven them, you have done your part. What others do or don’t do is not your responsibility. They will stand before God one day and give an account.
Always keep the right spirit no matter what is done to you, and God will take care of everything else. Love God with all your heart, and love others as you love yourself. When you do that, you can rest assured that forgiveness has taken place in your life.
#Spiritual #Devotion
@Dagmawi_Babi
Overcoming Offense
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
In 2 Samuel 10, King David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent two of his mightiest men to this foreign country to show their condolences and comfort King Hanun when his father died. But the leaders told Hanun, “Do you think David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” Then Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the buttocks area, and sent them away in shame.
In the Middle East during that time, the beard represented distinction, honor, and maturity. These men of David had every reason to be offended. They were humiliated and stripped of their dignity for simply doing what their king told them to do.
Luke 17:1 says, “It is impossible that offenses should not come to you.” In this life, you are going to be offended. Somebody’s going to shame you, insult you, or embarrass you. Jesus said it’s impossible for you to escape being offended in your lifetime, so you may as well learn how to deal with it the right way.
The end of this story gives insight on how to handle offense in a godly way. After David heard what happened, he sent out messengers to meet the men “for they were greatly humiliated.” He told them, “Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then come back.” Jericho means “sweet fragrance.” So David was saying, “I want them to go to that sweet place and stay there until their beards grow back.” When somebody offends you, just “go to Jericho.” Stay sweet and kind, and don’t get mad or seek vengeance. If you just stay in the right spirit, God is going to take care of everything. Your natural reaction will be to retaliate, but Romans 14 says, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, neither give place to wrath; for ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay’ says the Lord.”
Later in the story, because of how Hanun treated David’s men, David and his mighty army take vengeance on them. If you stay calm when offended, the Lord will deal with that person. He is a just God. You don’t have to defend yourself. Put the situation and the injustice into His hands. Don’t keep talking about it, and stop being angry about it. Just stay sweet and leave the vengeance part to Him, and eventually, “your beard will grow back.” Your hurts will heal. You will emerge better than you were before the attack because you have learned that trusting God to deal with offense brings peace to your life. Let go and let God handle your offense today.
#Spiritual #Devotion
@Dagmawi_Babi
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
In 2 Samuel 10, King David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent two of his mightiest men to this foreign country to show their condolences and comfort King Hanun when his father died. But the leaders told Hanun, “Do you think David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” Then Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the buttocks area, and sent them away in shame.
In the Middle East during that time, the beard represented distinction, honor, and maturity. These men of David had every reason to be offended. They were humiliated and stripped of their dignity for simply doing what their king told them to do.
Luke 17:1 says, “It is impossible that offenses should not come to you.” In this life, you are going to be offended. Somebody’s going to shame you, insult you, or embarrass you. Jesus said it’s impossible for you to escape being offended in your lifetime, so you may as well learn how to deal with it the right way.
The end of this story gives insight on how to handle offense in a godly way. After David heard what happened, he sent out messengers to meet the men “for they were greatly humiliated.” He told them, “Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then come back.” Jericho means “sweet fragrance.” So David was saying, “I want them to go to that sweet place and stay there until their beards grow back.” When somebody offends you, just “go to Jericho.” Stay sweet and kind, and don’t get mad or seek vengeance. If you just stay in the right spirit, God is going to take care of everything. Your natural reaction will be to retaliate, but Romans 14 says, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, neither give place to wrath; for ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay’ says the Lord.”
Later in the story, because of how Hanun treated David’s men, David and his mighty army take vengeance on them. If you stay calm when offended, the Lord will deal with that person. He is a just God. You don’t have to defend yourself. Put the situation and the injustice into His hands. Don’t keep talking about it, and stop being angry about it. Just stay sweet and leave the vengeance part to Him, and eventually, “your beard will grow back.” Your hurts will heal. You will emerge better than you were before the attack because you have learned that trusting God to deal with offense brings peace to your life. Let go and let God handle your offense today.
#Spiritual #Devotion
@Dagmawi_Babi