Want Some Freedom!
Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry!!!
” And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26-27.
Although bitter food is good for the body, “bitterness” is never good for the soul.
Childhood experiences that brings bad memories, Damaged emotions we can not let go, Regrets we can not forget, Hurtful words that cuts through our hearts, Betrayal of trust… The root goes deep and it slowly poisons us… our joy escapes us…. The cure… The GRACE of God that brings healing to our soul.
Forgiveness Ensures Freedom!
“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” – Hebrews 12:15
In business and life the opportunity to harbor bitterness for a wrong suffered is great. We are given plenty of opportunities to grow bitter from relationships that bring hurt and pain.
The writer of the Hebrews passage above admonishes us not to miss the grace of God so that we won’t take up bitterness as a response to life’s pain.
He cautions us against this because he knows that a bitter root grows and grows until it eventually defiles many others through a wake of bitterness.
If bitterness is allowed to take root, we become imprisoned to it. God’s grace will no longer have as great an effect in our lives. We become ineffective, insensitive, and spiritually dead. We can even become physically ill from it.
God does not live in bitterness. He lives in grace. He has provided grace for every person to walk in.
Let me ask you a question: When does God give us “grace”? Oh, I know, every act of God is full of grace. But specifically . . .
“Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16
Answer from above verse: “in time of need.”
That is In trials, tribulation, distress, wilderness experiences, illness, suffering . . . whatever defines your unique “time of need.”
* Now, ponder this: “Be careful that none of you fails to respond to the grace of God, for if he does there can spring up in him a bitter spirit which can poison the lives of many others. Hebrews 12:15
One day I was challenged to deal with an individual who hurt me terribly. I was faced with a decision. Would I choose bitterness, or would I choose grace?
Replace Bitterness with Forgiveness
*If you don’t learn to transform the pain you’ll transfer it.
*You may be justified in your bitterness, but it still contaminates everything.
Oh, how my natural tendency was to choose bitterness. But God provided the courage to choose grace. With that grace came freedom – a freedom to love and even accept the person who was the source of such pain.
*Matthew 18:23-30
*Authentic forgiveness is never cheap!
*Forgiveness means you choose the way of LOVE over HATE, letting go of your right to hurt them back.
Matthew 6:14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
*Jesus gives a startling warning about forgiveness: If we refuse to forgive others, God will also refuse to forgive us. Why? Because when we don’t forgive others, we are denying our common ground as sinners in need of God’s forgiveness. God’s forgiveness of sin is not the direct result of our forgiving others, but it is based on our realizing what forgiveness means. It is easy to ask God for forgiveness, but difficult to grant it to others. Whenever we ask God to forgive us for sin, we should ask ourselves, “Have I forgiven the people who have wronged me?”
This is the real place where Christ’s power is most revealed. We cannot live without His supernatural grace.
Are you in need of grace today?
It is there for the receiving.
It will take courage to accept it and walk in it.
This will be your step to freedom!
God help me Forgive others as You have forgiven me and You Lord take any cup of bitterness from me, that I will be set Free. Give me the Grace I need for each hour of each day. God give me opportunities to show off your grace. Give me the strength and the wisdom to know your grace and to share it with others. Help me to go the extra mile for people, so that they can see God’s grace through me. I forgive all who have wronged me in the name of Jesus. “May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.”
2 Peter1:2 Amen
Ephesians 1:6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.