HOW CAN I FORGIVE AND FORGET IT ALL?

Is it easy to forgive?

Is it easy to forget?

See the scenario before you unfold:

• A husband cheats on his wife, again
• A child steals and sells things in the home or that belong to the parents to buy drugs
• You grow up in an abusive home where no one cares about you
• Your wife gets up and leaves you
• The people you trusted in church share what you spoke in private
• A pastor tries to manipulate you and push you into an affair
• You are told to leave a church with no explanation
• You help someone at work after they mess up big and then you get fired, and they don't speak up and say the truth

the list goes on.....

Is it easy to forgive?

Will it be possible to forget?

The response to these questions are not simple. The truth is that when we are feeling the pain in our hearts of being let down, deceived, used and tossed aside like trash, at that moment, the ache and discouragement doesn't let us believe we can ever forgive, let alone, forget.

The remedy for the pain, I've found, through my own experiences is found in Matthew 5. 

Pray.

Pray for those you see as your enemies.

Pray. 

Pray for those that have let you down, hurt you, and crushed your spirit.

Pray. 

Pray for those that raise their voices against you to humble and humiliate you for their enjoyment.

Pray for those that have lied and worked to hurt your character and testimony.

Pray for those that have walked away from a relationship, forgetting their vows before the Lord.

Pray? How can you say pray when I am angry, filled with hatred and so very hurt?

◄ Matthew 5:43-45 ►

Love Your Enemies
…43"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' 44"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.…

I say pray because Scripture tells me to pray. I say pray because I've had to pray when I thought I couldn't pray and I believed I shouldn't pray for my enemies. I wanted to call curses and wrong upon them that hurt me and yet the only advice I found was to pray for them.

Ask the Lord to show you the condition of that person's heart and you will see that God's heart breaks over the wrong choices they have made as well. That person needs God's love. If God was alive in their hearts, they never would have hurt you or caused you anguish.

In my stress and discomfort I have cried out to God and He has healed my brokenness. He has helped me to forgive some very difficult situations in my life. FORGIVE. Oh, Lord it is so hard but with You, believing and trusting in You, and remembering that You have never denied me forgiveness, this has been possible. 

Pray for them as if it was their last day. Pray for them and you will see what I saw happen to me.

I began to feel their loss and their pain. God began to pour out a love in me for them that I was able to forgive and later on I saw God do great things. God restored and brought back what seemed broken and gone in my life. He is still doing great things. I am still praying. I am still waiting and know that the Lord will continue to do great things in my life. He will do the same for you if you pray and give it all into the hands of the Lord. He is the Healer of every emotion. He is the Healer for every crushed spirit. He is able to help you forgive. The memories may come back every now and then, but you will be able to say: 

Psalm 54:4

New International Version (NIV)

4 

Surely God is my help;

    the Lord is the one who sustains me.

Psalms 103:8-14

The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

 He will not always chide,

nor will he keep his anger forever.

 He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

 as far as the east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

 As a father shows compassion to his children,

so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

 For he knows our frame;

he remembers that we are dust.

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