“And whenever you stand praying,  if you find that you carry something in your heart against another person, release him and forgive him  so that your Father in heaven will also release you and forgive you of your faults. But if you will not release forgiveness, don’t expect your Father in heaven to release you from your misdeeds.” Mark 11:25-26 TPT

Have you ever found yourself in an unforgiving state? It’s really ok to admit it, we’ve all had those incidents that have remained unresolved in our hearts. A word spoken to you or about you, an action understood or perhaps understood. Sometimes people can just be mean and it’s hard to overlook it no matter how you try.

Well, regardless of the reason, we must not hold onto it, we must choose to forgive. It doesn’t mean that it will be easy, but as I was thinking of an incident that happened to me many years ago, I realized that forgiveness begins with a choice but is only complete with surrender. It’s never completely gone until we give it up.

Let me explain what I mean. When I allow the thoughts of what happened to sit and stew in my head, eventually it takes root in my heart and is harder to get free from. Anything rooted, grows, especially when I constantly water it and expose it to others. Before I know it, that root becomes a formidable stronghold that is so much harder to get out.

It’s hard to forgive, unless I remember what Jesus did. It’s impossible to replace hate with love unless I surrender it to the Father and let His love wash it all away. Jesus said I can’t expect to be forgiven unless I learn to forgive. I can’t release love to others if I’m holding fast onto something else.

So this morning, I have a few things to let go of. I don’t really want to, they’ve been there so long, I’m not sure what I’ll feel like without them, but I must. Once and for all, I surrender it now. I won’t bring it up again until Love has cleansed me from it. I don’t want to stand before God with unforgiveness in my heart and expect Him to forgive me of my many, many, many sins.

Thank you Lord for saving my soul, making me whole and giving to me such absolute forgiveness that You’ve completely wiped them away and buried them where they’re never found again. May I follow Your example. Teach me to love like You.

Sandy G