Make The Choice

Are you someone who has suffered emotionally or perhaps physically at the hands of others? Have emotions such as anger, resentment, hate, hostility, bitterness and revenge entered your heart and mind? Have you become filled with an unforgiving spirit? Unforgiveness can be a hidden culprit. It can make you a prisoner within yourself.

When an unforgiving spirit lives inside you, it isn’t bothering those who have wronged you. They’ve gone on their way; but, if you are still holding onto something that has taken control of your thoughts, actions and words. It eats away at you like a cancer, and you find yourself bound, with no peace. In reality, you are punishing yourself.

To forgive in your own power becomes futile, because your heart must first be cleansed of all that the things that unforgiveness creates. Only Jesus can make that happen. He laid down His life and shed His blood to give us the gift of salvation and clean up our hearts. Through Him, there is freedom and victory.

Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  in Matthew 11:28. Isn’t rest what we long for when filled with the torture of an unforgiving spirit?

Cast your care upon Him. Let Him do the cleansing. Let Him take that unforgiving spirit out of your heart and give you a new heart with a forgiving spirit. Again Jesus said in Matthew 6:14, 15: "If you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses."

That may seem harsh. But why shouldn’t God expect you to forgive those who have offended you, when He has forgiven you of so much more? Choosing to forgive, is a choice of your will. When you make that choice your heart is then open and ready for the Lord’s cleansing. Choosing not to forgive, is also a choice of your will. But the door of your heart is then shut and God will not do His cleansing work.