Forgive

[00:00:00] How can we forgive amid the pain of betrayal?

[00:00:04] What can we do to rise above the temptation for resentment and vengeance?

[00:00:10] Let's discuss.

[00:00:35] That website is WalkinginStepWithGod.org

[00:00:41] Hello, welcome to Walking in Step with God. I'm Steve McDonald.

[00:00:46] Today we explore the topic, Forgive, as we continue in our series, Living a Courageous Life.

[00:00:54] In this series, we have explored a number of ways we can experience a more fulfilling and powerful life as we walk courageously in our walk with God.

[00:01:03] In today's message, we will focus on the power of forgiveness.

[00:01:07] It is fair to say that all of us have been wronged by someone.

[00:01:12] When we are wronged, there are any number of responses.

[00:01:16] There is a saying that hurt people hurt people and it is so true.

[00:01:23] When we are hurt by someone, we may feel tempted to hurt the person back or far worse lash out at someone who has nothing to do with the situation at hand.

[00:01:35] If we don't find a way to hurt the person who has hurt us, we may find ourselves internalizing our anger, bitterness and resentment.

[00:01:46] Today let's discuss the idea of forgiveness.

[00:01:50] Let us explore three ways to forgive when we have been wronged in a way that honors our walk with God.

[00:01:59] I'll be right back after this message.

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[00:02:32] The special edition delves deeper and includes scriptures, reflective prompts and space to journal your thoughts.

[00:02:41] Visit www.100stepsbook.com to order your copy of the standard or special edition today and strengthen your bond with the Creator.

[00:02:52] Again, that's 100stepsbook.com.

[00:02:58] Welcome back. Let's continue in our discussion of three ways to forgive.

[00:03:04] Before we go any further, let's touch on a few things to consider about what forgiveness is and what forgiveness is not.

[00:03:13] Forgiveness does not require reconciliation.

[00:03:17] We are not claiming today that when you forgive someone, there cannot be healthy boundaries in place to protect yourself.

[00:03:27] Forgiveness is not for the other person, but for you, your mind and your spirit.

[00:03:36] Secondly, forgiveness does not mean forgetting something has occurred.

[00:03:41] It is wise to remember past behavior to consider how to best protect yourself in future situations.

[00:03:49] Lastly, let us remember that forgiveness is not ignoring the pain that has been caused and the effort it may take to bring healing and peace into your life.

[00:04:01] Forgiving someone may be the very beginning of years of healing before you eventually find true peace.

[00:04:10] Okay, now that we have reviewed what forgiveness is not, let's explore three reasons to forgive.

[00:04:19] Number one, freedom. Simply put, when we decide to not forgive, we hold our hearts and minds in bondage.

[00:04:31] Holding onto anger, bitterness, and resentment after wrongdoing is harmful to our hearts and spirit.

[00:04:39] Ruminating on the events of wrongdoing and refusing to forgive keeps us trapped in the past instead of moving toward a new future.

[00:04:48] Dwelling on who has wronged you in the past can keep you from experiencing your fullest life in the present.

[00:04:56] In our walk with God, we are instructed to forgive others.

[00:05:01] God knows the power of unforgiveness and its ability to keep us stuck from moving forward in his plans for us.

[00:05:11] If you find yourself dwelling on someone's past wrongdoing and find it impossible to forgive, ask God for the strength to forgive and move forward from your past.

[00:05:26] It may take time but God can and will equip you with what you need to move on in your life and break free of the bondage that comes from unforgiveness.

[00:05:39] Number two, to glorify God. When we find it in our hearts to forgive, especially in our walk with God, we demonstrate to everyone in our circle the power of our faith.

[00:05:55] As we find the strength to forgive, we even demonstrate to God our desire to be more like him.

[00:06:04] When we glorify God, we shine a light for all to see his influence in our lives and in our hearts.

[00:06:10] Today's society and culture glorify vengeance and retribution in response to wrongdoing.

[00:06:16] God asks us to forgive.

[00:06:19] When we can find the strength to turn away from the ways of the world and toward the desires of our Heavenly Father, we glorify God and show the world the power of our faith.

[00:06:31] Number three, because God forgave you. Have you ever done something that you know was wrong and asked God to forgive you?

[00:06:44] Did you know that in that moment he wiped the slate clean and forgave you?

[00:06:49] This is his promise to us that if we ask for forgiveness, we are forgiven.

[00:06:55] Not sometimes, not most times, but at all times.

[00:07:01] Now think about a time someone has wronged you.

[00:07:05] I think it is fair to say that most of us have experienced a time we did not feel inclined to forgive.

[00:07:12] God's promise of forgiveness serves as a great example of why we should forgive others.

[00:07:17] The truth is that we all sin, but regardless of what we do, be it the first time or the one hundredth time, God will forgive when we ask for forgiveness.

[00:07:30] When we have an opportunity to forgive, consider the things you have done in your life that God has forgiven you.

[00:07:38] And let that inspire you to forgive.

[00:07:42] In today's episode, we explore the power of forgiveness, discussing three important reasons as to why we should forgive.

[00:07:53] We learned of the freedom that forgiveness can bring.

[00:07:57] Freedom from the bondage that keeps us trapped in the past when we harbor a grudge, hold on to bitterness, or ruminate on vengeance.

[00:08:05] We learned how forgiveness can glorify God by moving against the current of today's society and culture when it comes to the idea of vengeance and retribution.

[00:08:14] Forgiveness can demonstrate the power God can give to us to do the very thing that is the most difficult and perhaps the most unexpected thing to do.

[00:08:24] Lastly, we considered that it is important to forgive for the simple fact that God promises to forgive us when we ask for forgiveness.

[00:08:35] God forgives us regardless of the circumstances once we ask for forgiveness.

[00:08:44] Forgiveness is not always easy, but it is crucial to position our hearts and minds on a pathway to peace.

[00:08:52] Forgiveness does not mean forgetting wrongdoing, and it does not mean we should not protect ourselves from those who have harmed us in the past.

[00:09:03] But it does mean giving our heart the permission to move forward in life on a pathway to peace and healing.

[00:09:11] If you are finding it difficult to forgive someone in your life or in your past, ask God for the strength to forgive.

[00:09:22] Ask Him to touch your heart with peace and healing and to prepare for a future filled with joy.

[00:09:30] Let us close out in prayer.

[00:09:34] Father, Almighty God, we come before you today thankful of the wisdom that has been shared today.

[00:09:39] Thank you for using me as a vessel to share just the guidance and knowledge that we need as we are out in the world and facing situations where people can wrong us at any moment

[00:09:52] where we have to decide between right and wrong, where we have to decide whether or not to forgive.

[00:09:58] We discussed today the fact that our humanists quite honestly, Father, leaves us in a situation where it is very difficult by default to forgive others.

[00:10:08] So we ask for your help.

[00:10:10] We know that through your guidance, through your blessings of wisdom in our hearts, through you giving us strength,

[00:10:18] that we can forgive those in our lives who have wronged us, those who have betrayed us, those who have crossed us, Lord.

[00:10:24] We just ask that you give us the tools and equip us for the strength to forgive others when it is the most difficult thing to do.

[00:10:34] We know that we can only do this in our heart with your help and with your strength within us.

[00:10:39] And we just ask, Lord, that even if we need to protect ourselves, even if we need to keep ourselves safe, that we can still find us in our hearts to forgive others for wrongdoing.

[00:10:53] Be it from a moment ago, be it from years ago, whatever it may be, give us the strength in our hearts to forgive others when they have wronged us, Lord.

[00:11:01] We thank you on your plans and we pray this, trusting and believing in you. Amen.

[00:11:07] Are you interested in learning more about the sources guiding this message?

[00:11:11] I invite you to stay tuned after the break for our Going Deeper with the Word segment.

[00:11:16] Here we examine how God's Word provides clear guidance and direction about forgiveness.

[00:11:21] If you are catching this episode on YouTube or in our Facebook group, please be sure to click that like button

[00:11:27] and also be sure to leave your comments about today's message and forgiveness.

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[00:11:42] I'll be right back.

[00:11:45] Some messages just hit differently and if this message has touched your heart and you want to experience it again,

[00:11:51] you can watch the video online at walkingandstepwithgod.org slash messages. God bless you.

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[00:12:34] Welcome to Going Deeper with the Word.

[00:12:37] In this segment, we welcome people of all backgrounds, religious or not, to review the Word of God.

[00:12:43] The Word of God provides guidance, direction and instructions for living our lives and walking with God.

[00:12:49] Today we examine how God's Word provides clear guidance and direction about forgiveness.

[00:12:55] Let's review examples of God's Word that can lead and guide our steps and back up the principles we learned in today's message.

[00:13:02] I'll be reading scripture today from the Amplified Bible.

[00:13:06] By the way, if you're watching this message online, I invite you to share your comments as we review each verse.

[00:13:13] Here's our first verse.

[00:13:15] Ephesians 4 verse 32.

[00:13:20] Be kind and helpful to one another. Tenderhearted, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

[00:13:29] In this verse, we are reminded of God's promise to forgive us when we ask for forgiveness.

[00:13:35] As we walk with God and grow in our faith, we learn of the importance of imitating God day to day as we interact with others in our lives.

[00:13:44] This verse highlights forgiveness readily and freely, in other words without hesitation or delay.

[00:13:54] Easier said than done, I know.

[00:13:56] But let us remember that we can always turn to God to ask for the strength to be kind and compassionate toward those who have wronged us.

[00:14:07] Can you recall a time when you were wronged by someone and you found the strength to forgive without hesitation or delay?

[00:14:17] What led you to this decision?

[00:14:20] Let us know in the comments.

[00:14:23] Let's have a look at another verse.

[00:14:26] Luke 6 verse 27.

[00:14:30] But I say to you who hear, love your enemies.

[00:14:34] Do good to those who hate you.

[00:14:39] In this verse, Jesus Christ outlines his instructions for our enemies.

[00:14:45] To unselfishly seek out the higher good and do good for those who hate us.

[00:14:52] Again, this is something very difficult to do.

[00:14:56] I'd like to point out the power of this posture toward our enemies, especially when others are observing our reaction to wrongdoing from our enemies.

[00:15:06] It glorifies God when we demonstrate behavior that goes against the grain of the norm in today's society.

[00:15:16] Today's day and age, vengeance and retribution are the response to our enemies.

[00:15:23] When we show love to our enemies, we are shattering the status quo in a way that reveals the power of our faith and strength that can only be had in a walk with God.

[00:15:36] Have you forgiven someone lately?

[00:15:40] How did your act of forgiveness glorify God?

[00:15:44] Let us know in the comments.

[00:15:47] Let's have a look at one last verse.

[00:15:53] 1 John 1 verse 9

[00:16:10] In this verse, we learn of God's promise to forgive us and cleanse us.

[00:16:15] We admit and confess our sins.

[00:16:18] We see special emphasis in the scripture about God addressing everything that is not in conformity with His will and purpose.

[00:16:27] This verse is one of many that shows the true power of asking God for forgiveness,

[00:16:33] not just for the sin in and of itself, but the fact that God will forgive and help us to avoid future transgressions.

[00:16:42] He may do this any number of ways, including bringing things to our attention that may be at the root cause of our sinful behavior.

[00:16:50] Have you ever asked God for forgiveness only to notice something in your life that influenced you into sinful behavior?

[00:16:57] Let us know in the comments.

[00:17:01] Forgiving is hard.

[00:17:04] When someone has wronged you, it can be difficult to break out of the bitterness and resentment.

[00:17:10] Only with God's help can we find a strength and resolve to break free of the bondage created by anger and thirst for vengeance.

[00:17:18] God can help us to forgive and set us on a path to peace and healing.

[00:17:26] Thank you for your time in reviewing these verses with me today.

[00:17:29] Please be sure to share in the comments how these or other examples of God's Word have helped you to forgive.

[00:17:38] Thank you for the opportunity to share encouragement.

[00:17:41] Here at Walk and Step with God, we truly appreciate your support.

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[00:17:55] Have an amazing week and we will catch you next time.

[00:17:59] Bless you.

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