Sometimes, we don’t want to stop feeling a bit ticked off by another. We can’t seem to get over it.
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Mark 11:25 NIV
Reflection
Imagine that? God wants us to do what we want God to do for us. Said in another way, don’t ask me for something you aren’t willing to do yourself.
When we hold things against others, the build-up of junk inside us is incredible. It infects us with this emotional build of garbage that gets in the way of everything else.
Think about it. If your thought life is consumed with animosity toward another you get triggered to think about that individual way too often. Imagine that? The very person who pissed you off gets to piss you off even more! Talk about giving power to another that makes you seem a little weak. After all, why would you allow someone who you don’t like control you so much?
Translate that into feelings about things. How about what you did or didn’t do? Or what has been done to you or not done for you? We can roll the script as often as we like and no doubt we can truly find things to focus on that aren’t so good. This is the devil's playground. He loves it when we join him in that place.
So the words of Jesus that both Mark and Matthew share are very to the point. Forgive to be forgiven. But why does Jesus want you to forgive? After all, what that person did or didn’t do is so offensive they don’t deserve forgiveness right? Well, you deserve it. That’s right. You deserve it. You deserve the freeing of your mind so you can focus on better things. More important things.
I have landed on the idea of celebrating what you do have and not what you don’t have. Celebrate what you did have but don’t spend time expecting it will happen again. Just enjoy what you have in this day and though the pain of loss or hardship might be real, find something that allows you to see the hope in living to the next day.
Too many of us ignore the words Jesus shared with us. If we are true believers and followers isn’t it about time to get sincere about it? Shouldn’t we not only read those words but take them into our hearts? Do as He instructed? After all, He is God’s son. We believe He died and was resurrected. Right? If you don’t well you ain’t no Christian then so forget what I’m saying here. However, if you are a Christian, well, get with it then!
Now Jesus didn’t say forgive and forget. He just said forgive so you can be forgiven as well. Keep that in mind when you are holding something against another. The more you hang on the less you are blessed. Don’t let this stuff weigh you down. Release it. Give it to God. He knows what to do about it and just trust that is all that is needed. You don’t own justice. God does. Stop trying to play God and start surrendering to Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the words your Son has given us. Thank you to the authors and preservers of those words that we could read or hear them today. Help us take action with those words. So much of what is written in the Bible reveals to us ways to move about on our paths. Help us connect to those words and live our lives aligned with you through Your Word. Not someone’s interpretation of how we should be. More what You want us to be. It matters more how You feel about us than any other in this life. Father, thank you. Please keep us, our families, and our friends safe. Please forgive me. In Jesus' name, we pray who is our Lord and Savior. Amen.
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