You have been deeply and wrongly hurt. Did you know that your pain is a warning bell because hurt can lead to anger and anger to bitterness and before you know it you are far from God. Please listen – I know – I’ve been there.
Consider just a few well known Scriptures. Do you lie to God when you repeat the Lord’s prayer? Forgive us (MAT.6:7) as we forgive. If you do not forgive (LK.6:37, MK.11:26) your heavenly Father will not forgive you. What about (MAT.18:21-22, LK.17:4) 70x7? Concerning (MAT.5:25) Agree with the adversary quickly, Oswald Chambers said – if you do not, the inevitable process will begin to work and you will have to pay to the last farthing in pain and agony and distress. God’s laws are unalterable. Refusal to forgive (EPH.4:32) and holding a grudge (COL.3:13) is defiant rebellion against the Word and commandment of God and definitely (2COR.2:11) give Satan an advantage. So – whose team do you want to be on?
The late Rev. Adrian Rogers said something years ago, which I have never forgotten - - Bitterness is the acid which destroys its own container. Delivered to the tormentors (MAT.18:34-35) you slam shut the bars on the prison you have built for yourself – you cannot free your mind – constantly tortured by it – affects your words and deeds – damages relationships – you cannot free yourself. Many defiled (HEB.12:15) wherever you go, you carry your bitterness baggage with you and are guilty of the defilement of others. Actually, it can become your idol as it usurps all your time and attention which belong to God. Only the power of the Holy Spirit can release you and bring you back into sunshine, fellowship and love – IF you are willing to repent.
A message by Pastor Chuck Swindoll was on a different subject but he said something that moved me so deeply I must include it. He said - - say someone offends me and I can’t forgive him, go to the Lord and say - - (Jesus, help me to understand how You felt when they covered Your body with saliva and punched You until (ISA.52:14) Your face didn’t even look human). A short time later, writhing in agony on the Cross, He prayed (LK.23:34) Father forgive them.
I know what you are thinking right now - - those people didn’t know what they did, but my offender does fully know! That sounds logical but it is not based on facts. The people who screamed for His crucifixion were not the people who knew Jesus and His ministry and shouted Hosanna on Psalm Sunday. There was a multitude including women who were (LK.23:27-28) weeping along the way as He carried His Cross. Many out-of-towners had come to Jerusalem for Passover and had no idea of what was going on at the direction of the high priest and religious leaders. They blindly followed the religious leaders without bothering to learn the truth. This type of ignorance is no excuse for sin. But I think - do not know what they do – had a deeper meaning and included the religious leaders. They knew what they were doing in the moment but had no idea of the eternal ramifications of what they did in “their moment”!
We are rightly and deeply moved by the words of our dying Saviour on the Cross - - Father forgive them. Don’t pass on too quickly. Dig deep – listen to His words – listen to His heart. One morning I saw something deeper and it seems more than my mind can grasp. Jesus was not asking God to simply write off their sins. Again – listen to His heart. He was asking God that He would not die – that His intense agony would not end - - UNTIL - - He has suffered enough to pay the immense ransom, a ransom so great that it would fully avenge just Divine wrath so that Divine mercy could kick in and make possible Divine forgiveness.
To forgive is to obey God and that forgiveness makes it possible for us – only if we are willing – to bear the pain of the offender’s wrong. Then we are set free to forgive. This is one vital part of Resurrection Life.
Pilate knew (MAT.27:18) it was for envy they handed Jesus over to be crucified. Is there anything in my life, in your life, that causes Jesus to be handed over?
Either the life of sin – or – the Life of God must die in me.
My choice! Your choice!
If you are willing to meditate on these Scriptures, doesn’t it put any wrong done against you in its proper light?
I must remember that my finger prints were on that hammer. Were yours on the nails?
If you can consider these Scriptures, these living Words of Almighty God and can still walk away, clutching your unforgiveness - - I have one more question for you. Have you outlived your love for Jesus???
Don’t think for one second that I am minimizing your very real suffering but I need to tell you something. It was in the worst times of my life, times I would never want to repeat, that I got to know God in ways I had never dreamed possible and the intimacy with Him continues to deepen. The Lord loves you and you are very precious to Him. He will never overlook wrong to one of His dear children, (ROM.12:19-20) He will repay, you have His promise. Why did God allow this to happen to you? Maybe to draw you closer to Him because maybe in your future you will meet a deeply wounded believer and you will be the one God will use (2COR.1:4) to understand and lead that person to comfort and healing. We learn from Job and many other Scriptures that God has not yet accomplished everything He plans to do through suffering.
Billions of years ago you were (EPH.1:4, JN.17:11,24,6:37) God the Father’s love gift to Jesus. So sink deep into His unending love and (HEB.13:5) unfailing Presence because you are sheltered (DEUT.33:27) in the arms of God, your loving Heavenly Father. As we read the Bible and meditate on God’s Word we know about God. As we obey Him we know of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you to explore the sacred wonders of the Triune Godhead. Let your soul be filled and thrilled with this wonderful, amazing, glorious promise of Jesus. If you love and obey Me, I will manifest Myself to you (JN.14:21, 23) and my father will love you and We will come and make Our home with you.