Most all of us like getting promoted, and there's nothing wrong with that. But sometimes we fail tests in certain areas that keep us from getting promoted. Areas like forgiveness.
If someone has hurt you, don't spend the next 10 years of your life hurting yourself by hanging on to that offense. Most likely, that other person isn't even thinking about you, while you dwell on the incident for years. That only hurts one person—you.
You see, when you forgive someone, you are helping yourself.
To help you understand the importance of forgiveness, here are six ways to detect unforgiveness in your own heart. Once exposed, you'll be one step closer to your personal promotion from God.
1) Unforgiveness always keeps score.
In Luke 15:29, the elder brother of the prodigal son said, "Look! These many years I have served you." Peter wanted to know how many times he had to forgive someone. Unforgiveness is always looking at the score. But 1 Corinthians 13:5 says, Love takes no account…. It doesn't count up the evil done to it.
2) Unforgiveness always boasts of its own record.
In Luke 15:29, the older brother of the prodigal son says "These many years I have never done wrong." Judgment always says that I always do good and others do bad. An unforgiving spirit keeps us from God's best for us.
3) Unforgiveness always complains.
"You never do anything for me." Ever catch yourself thinking that about someone? This attitude only sees what others aren't doing and doesn't see what they are doing. God's Word clearly shows that we're not supposed to complain. And if you're continuously using your mouth to complain about some incident of offense, you won't get past it. Don't waste time by complaining.
4) Unforgiveness has a martyr syndrome.
"I do all the work." Workaholics are particularly susceptible to this one. Sometimes people who work all the time and don't know how to enjoy their life get jealous when other people are enjoying life. Is there someone who aggravates you when you see them having a good time? If yes, you could have unforgiveness toward them.
5) Unforgiveness always alienates, divides and separates.
When the kids are acting up, we say "my husband's kids" or maybe something like, "What are you going to do about your son?" Those are divisive statements. Maybe you have a coworker who you stay away from as much as possible or a sibling you don't talk to much…why do you separate yourself from them? Maybe you need to forgive that person.
6) Unforgiveness is always envious and jealous when angry at someone who gets blessed.
If someone who has hurt you gets a blessing, it grates on you…at least it did for me until I learned how to forgive. Forgiveness is a decision—not a feeling.
When you pray for people who have hurt you, it's a choice. But there's healing in that for you. Bless and do not curse them means to speak well and not evil of them when that person is not around. And be good to them in various ways as wisdom allows.
Improve Your Life I want to encourage you today to make a decision to start living a lifestyle of forgiveness and refuse to be offended.
A forgiving lifestyle helps you become more like Christ. As you learn the importance of forgiveness and begin to practice forgiving others, your heart will heal from bitterness, and your personal growth will lead you to the promotions God has planned for you.
Showing posts with label forgiveness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label forgiveness. Show all posts
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Staying In Right Relationships
True reconciliation requires that we be genuinely repentant, humble, transparent, and sincere before God and before the one whom we have offended. These qualities must be expressed in the attitudes, actions, and words that we use to ask for his forgiveness.
Reconciliation involves a spirit-to-spirit communication in which our sincerity is instantly discerned.
Since few offenses are 100% our fault, and since we instinctively look for ways to justify our actions, our biggest challenge in reconciliation will be to focus on our part of the offense and be sincerely grieved over it. Any lack of true repentance will come out in statements such as these: “If I was wrong, will you forgive me?” or “I know that I was partly to blame; please forgive me,” or “I understand you were offended by what I did, and I apologize.”
Jacob knew that his life and the lives of his family members depended on his making reconciliation the right way. Esau was approaching with 400 men! Jacob wisely sent gifts to Esau before he even saw Esau face to face. Scripture states, “A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath” (Proverbs 21:14). Jacob referred to himself as Esau’s servant, and Jacob referred to Esau as his lord. He wrestled with the Lord for a blessing and bowed down seven times as he approached his offended brother.
When Esau saw evidences of sincere repentance, he ran to meet Jacob, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept. Jacob further demonstrated his sincerity by saying, “… I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God” (Genesis 33:10).
The prodigal son carefully chose his words of reconciliation: “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants” (Luke 15:18–19).
A request for forgiveness should be as brief as possible since it is one’s spirit that will be doing the real communicating. You should explain that God has convicted you of how wrong you were in offending him and that you have come to ask for his forgiveness. Explain how your offense must have deeply hurt him. The more you understand and “feel” his hurt, the easier it will be for him to forgive you. Be ready to make financial restitution if the damages were tangible.
Before you go, ask a friend to pray for you. This will strengthen and motivate you to follow through in the act of “dying to self” so that you can have a deeper experience of true life!
Reconciliation involves a spirit-to-spirit communication in which our sincerity is instantly discerned.
Since few offenses are 100% our fault, and since we instinctively look for ways to justify our actions, our biggest challenge in reconciliation will be to focus on our part of the offense and be sincerely grieved over it. Any lack of true repentance will come out in statements such as these: “If I was wrong, will you forgive me?” or “I know that I was partly to blame; please forgive me,” or “I understand you were offended by what I did, and I apologize.”
Jacob knew that his life and the lives of his family members depended on his making reconciliation the right way. Esau was approaching with 400 men! Jacob wisely sent gifts to Esau before he even saw Esau face to face. Scripture states, “A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath” (Proverbs 21:14). Jacob referred to himself as Esau’s servant, and Jacob referred to Esau as his lord. He wrestled with the Lord for a blessing and bowed down seven times as he approached his offended brother.
When Esau saw evidences of sincere repentance, he ran to meet Jacob, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept. Jacob further demonstrated his sincerity by saying, “… I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God” (Genesis 33:10).
The prodigal son carefully chose his words of reconciliation: “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants” (Luke 15:18–19).
A request for forgiveness should be as brief as possible since it is one’s spirit that will be doing the real communicating. You should explain that God has convicted you of how wrong you were in offending him and that you have come to ask for his forgiveness. Explain how your offense must have deeply hurt him. The more you understand and “feel” his hurt, the easier it will be for him to forgive you. Be ready to make financial restitution if the damages were tangible.
Before you go, ask a friend to pray for you. This will strengthen and motivate you to follow through in the act of “dying to self” so that you can have a deeper experience of true life!
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