LORD, HELP ME FORGIVE!

Lord, Help Me Forgive! by Beth Moore I hate to have to bring up this word, but I just don’t have a choice. It’s the last word any of us wants to hear echoing back and forth in a pit we’ve been thrown into. You already know what this word is, and you’re probably sick of hearing it. But we have to hear that difficult word again: forgive. It’s a tough thing to do, but we’ve got to forgive, even — no, especially — those who don’t care to be forgiven. You think you can’t forgive? I felt the same way. I heard over and over how I’d have to forgive, but in a huff I just folded my arms over my chest and refused to do anything about it. You see, I started out in a pit of innocence, but through the years my bitterness rearranged the furniture until it was nothing more than a well-camouflaged pit of sin. But I thought forgiving my pit-throwers would make what happened all right. But, to be sure, it didn’t. Still hasn’t. What I didn’t understand about forgiveness was that it would make me all right. One day I finally began getting that message, and I’m praying right now that this is that day for you. Like all of God’s commands, His call to forgive is for your good. Forgiveness is a process, and that process leads to freedom. Your freedom. Lord, I want to obey Your command to forgive; I want to know the freedom that results. Help me on both counts! See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. — Hebrews 12:15 * * * Your Turn Take a look at your pit. In what ways, if any, is it a well-camouflaged pit of sin? Confessing that sin and turning from it will help free you from your pit. To encourage you to take the perhaps more difficult step toward freedom — the step of forgiving your pit-throwers — think about a time when you have, by God’s grace, forgiven someone. What was the resulting freedom like? What blessings did you experience as you forgave the one who hurt you? Please leave a comment on our blog. We would love to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily