FORGIVE – OR NOT TO FORGIVE? THAT IS THE QUESTION!
By Helen Jesze, 24th June 2018
Our friend, Frank, tossed from side to side in his hotel room. Sleep seemed to have eluded him. He went over the meeting he had come from that evening. Once again, the power of the Holy Spirit had done miracles, and he gave God the glory for this. He never tired of giving his testimony how God had healed and brought him back to life, when blood poured from his body as Leukaemia was causing his organs to close down, and he had only hours to live. Yet great though this was, Frank still had another giant to fight – the situation with his sister. Every time he thought of her, his heart filled with bitterness at what she had done to the family. She had gone away from the Lord, lived a wild life and come home pregnant. After the birth, she had gone her own way again, leaving the child for him and his mother to bring up.
But on this night, it was as though God was putting greater pressure on him to forgive her for all the wrong she had done. As though He was saying: “Frank, your hardness of heart is as bad before me as all that she has done. YOU MUST FORGIVE HER, FRANK!“ “But Lord, she won’t come back to you! She still hasn’t learnt from the past! And every time I look at the boy, it reminds me of her!”
The dialogue went on through the night hours, until in the early morning, Frank broke down and wept, reaching a depth of forgiveness he had never reached before. Again he prayed that his sister would get in touch, as they did not know where she was, or even if she was still alive. That morning he drove home with a lighter heart and was able to believe that God was working.
And He was working, for that very day, his sister rang up, and said she was coming home! The very same night, 200 kilometres away, at the time when Frank capitulated before the Lord, his sister had come back to the Lord! The family was reunited and this giant of sin, tragedy and unforgiveness was slain for ever, with another wonderful testimony of God’s grace and restoring power for Frank and others to tell!
Do you have a giant of unforgiveness to slay in your life? Does he mock and irritate you at every turn? Are your prayers for a loved one or a situation not yet answered? Could the reason be that there is someone – or even that same person – whom you should forgive?
Forgiveness is a matter of our will not our emotions. Release that person or persons today who you are holding onto in your heart or thoughts, that God might be free to do His work in them.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thankyou that you have forgiven me for my
many sins. Help me to pass on this gift to others. I release this person …
to you, and lift the bondage of them which my unforgiveness has placed
there. O Lord, I thank you that you are working on the situation, and
give you glory! Wrap your arms of love and forgiveness round … right
now! Speak to them Holy Spirit! I release them to your purposes and
plan, to bring this about as YOU want, not MY way.
In the name of Jesus Christ my Lord,
Amen!
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