A WOMAN WHOSE PAST IS HISTORY! FORGIVENESS
I forgive you. A lot of us (including myself) have often found these simple three-letter words when put together as inevitably undeserving to say or meant when we are the one forgiving someone, forgiving ourselves, or us being forgiven.
The other day, as I happened to scope through an old journey that I'd finished a few years back, I realized one of the things I've wrestled and tried to undermine with my lack of understanding and the pain that inflicted me with so much anger and disbelief is forgiveness heals. And to piggyback on this truth that took me years to receive and give, God keeps no record of wrongs.
When an unforgiving heart meets God's love
Has it ever crossed your mind that God doesn't hold grudges, nor does he remembers the thing we've done, have been ashamed of, and it's keeping us up at night?
Anyone who knows me now and has been with me in the past would see that God not only forgives, but he doesn't intend to leave you where you are. When I look back to reflect, all I can see were toxic cycles that kept me bound, lies that I once believed about myself, and others that eventually distorted my view of God.
But through it all, God's love continues to pursue me while in a mess that I've either created for myself or have given others permission by tolerating them to create whatever mess they'd saw fit- toxic people attract toxic people. Many of us struggle with the idea why'd a perfect & holy God want anything to do with me or you? And honestly, when we get a clear revelation of God's love for us, our mess doesn't scare Him away; our imperfection/weakness doesn't surprise Him. If anything, He uses it all to show us WE NEED JESUS! Chile, I NEED Jesus!! Period.
I am here to remind you and shed light on any areas of your life you may be in a battle with and questioning if God loves you, is He really omniscient and cares about the smallest things that set you off course. And the answer is yes!
Harboring unforgiveness has consumed my heart so much that breathing fresh air became a gasp. It was in those moments, pivotal times being at my lowest, where opening my heart to God was an exit door out of my past and embracing a new chapter of my life. It sounds easy to let go and let God, but it was a long process that required me not to quit on my destiny and where now I can type this blog post from a healed place.
Choose forgiveness and HEAL.
Forgiveness will begin the process of healing a wound that was caused by others. Though it may take time to heal, it stops the wound from being affected any longer by the same cause. -Widster
Our minds are such a powerful weapon that one blow can trigger an old memory from years ago hidden underneath a rug. This then triggers many episodes that God may have discontinued, but we binge-watch our past mistakes because we keep replaying the tape. Whether written in our journal or etched in our memories, our lists of wrongdoings show how well we can keep scores of other people's faults and sins, including ours.
Ever wonder how peaceful and tranquil our minds would be if we'd stop replaying, reliving, and remaining imprisoned in what we allow ourselves to dwell in?
In my previous blog post (click here), "29 LIFE LESSONS LEARNED THAT SHIFTED MY LIFE," I'd mentioned, when you forgive others for the damage they've caused, be sure to also extend the same grace to yourself for tolerating it. We often treat ourselves the same way others have mistreated us in the past; some of us are quick to forgive others for their misconduct but have failed to show the same grace to ourselves for allowing the behavior to persist.
What are some of the things that pull you back from becoming a better you, a healthier YOU, a HEALED you? Expose those areas rather than masking it with a shrug when you know deep down that it still taunts you. Remember, healing is accessible to everyone, but the question is, do you want to be healed?
xoxo,
Widster
