FORGIVENESS BURIES BITTERNESS
UNFORGIVENESS BREEDS BITTERNESS
There are two young women in their late 20’s who come to my mind when I think of forgiveness. Both of these young women had been married about 5 years, when their husbands left them. One left her for an attraction of the same sex and the other for an attraction of the opposite sex. These women were devastated because their dreams had been shattered. Both of these women sought support from family, friends and church. They have made a choice to forgive and press forward in Plan A for their lives.
A test to see if you have BITTERNESS in your heart is in answering these questions:
1. Am I obsessed with thoughts of unfairness?
2. Do I continually blame failing on someone else or something else?
3. Am I angry a lot of the time? Do I let anger explode? Am I defensive?
4. Am I physically ill much of the time?
5. Do I feel guilty?
Whether we realize it or not, when we have bitterness in our heart, we ultimately blame God. But since we respect His position, we look for someone else to blame and much of the time it is a parent, a spouse or minister.
I would like to recommend a great book for you to read whether you are struggling in BITTERNESS and/or UNFORGIVENESS, “THE DNA OF RELATIONSHIPS” by Gary Smalley. Smalley says Forgiveness is a choice, and Forgiveness heals relationships.” He goes on to say : “Don’t look to others to make you happy, and take the responsibility for your thoughts and actions.”
“BE KIND TO EACH OTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, JUST AS GOD THROUGH CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN YOU”, the Bible tells us.
Don’t wait any longer, start right now by repeating The Lord’s Prayer:
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, HOLLOWED BY THY NAME,
YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US TO DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, FORGIVE OUR SINS, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST US.
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER. AMEN
I like the Lord’s Prayer in the Message Bible:
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN,
REVEAL WHO YOU ARE.
SET THE WORLD RIGHT,
DO WHAT’S BEST—AS ABOVE, SO BELOW.
KEEP US ALIVE WITH THREE SQUARE MEALS.
KEEP US FORGIVEN WITH YOU AND FORGIVING OTHERS.
KEEP US SAFE FROM OURSELVES AND THE DEVIL.
YOU’RE IN CHARGE!
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT!
YOU’RE ABLAZE IN BEAUTY!
YES,YES, YES.
Love,
Sharon
UNFORGIVENESS BREEDS BITTERNESS
There are two young women in their late 20’s who come to my mind when I think of forgiveness. Both of these young women had been married about 5 years, when their husbands left them. One left her for an attraction of the same sex and the other for an attraction of the opposite sex. These women were devastated because their dreams had been shattered. Both of these women sought support from family, friends and church. They have made a choice to forgive and press forward in Plan A for their lives.
A test to see if you have BITTERNESS in your heart is in answering these questions:
1. Am I obsessed with thoughts of unfairness?
2. Do I continually blame failing on someone else or something else?
3. Am I angry a lot of the time? Do I let anger explode? Am I defensive?
4. Am I physically ill much of the time?
5. Do I feel guilty?
Whether we realize it or not, when we have bitterness in our heart, we ultimately blame God. But since we respect His position, we look for someone else to blame and much of the time it is a parent, a spouse or minister.
I would like to recommend a great book for you to read whether you are struggling in BITTERNESS and/or UNFORGIVENESS, “THE DNA OF RELATIONSHIPS” by Gary Smalley. Smalley says Forgiveness is a choice, and Forgiveness heals relationships.” He goes on to say : “Don’t look to others to make you happy, and take the responsibility for your thoughts and actions.”
“BE KIND TO EACH OTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, JUST AS GOD THROUGH CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN YOU”, the Bible tells us.
Don’t wait any longer, start right now by repeating The Lord’s Prayer:
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, HOLLOWED BY THY NAME,
YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US TO DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, FORGIVE OUR SINS, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST US.
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER. AMEN
I like the Lord’s Prayer in the Message Bible:
OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN,
REVEAL WHO YOU ARE.
SET THE WORLD RIGHT,
DO WHAT’S BEST—AS ABOVE, SO BELOW.
KEEP US ALIVE WITH THREE SQUARE MEALS.
KEEP US FORGIVEN WITH YOU AND FORGIVING OTHERS.
KEEP US SAFE FROM OURSELVES AND THE DEVIL.
YOU’RE IN CHARGE!
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT!
YOU’RE ABLAZE IN BEAUTY!
YES,YES, YES.
Love,
Sharon
posted by Sharon @ 4:50 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home