Gail Rodgers Sharing the Journey

Loved by God Part 12 - For Your Own Sake

by Gail Rodgers

Susanna couldn’t have been more wrong. As long as she held unforgiveness in her heart the hurting continued. The bitterness grew. She knew bitterness was creeping into her heart and she felt powerless over it.

Forgiveness is a choice. It is a choice you make for yourself. You don’t just forgive for someone else’s sake; you do it for your own sake. It is the only way to be free of the anger in the depth of your heart and the bitterness that is birthed from the betrayal.

When we hold unforgiveness in our heart it goes completely against God’s advice to us. He knows how we work because He made us. To take His word to heart is the road to healing.

“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, “It is mine to avenge, I will repay”, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

If you have been wronged and it is hanging on and dragging your spirit down, acknowledge the hurt and the hate. Then make a choice to let the offending person off your hook. Release the situation to God’s care and know that they are not off God’s hook and He will deal fairly with them because He has promised you He will. Leave God to be the bill collector.

You will find a new freedom in your soul. Anger that is not dealt with brings poison into your soul and gives the enemy of your soul a foothold. God doesn’t tell us to never be angry. He does tell us to deal with our anger so it will not poison our soul. (Eph.4:26/27)

We often have to live with the consequence of the other person’s action against us whether we want to or not. But we choose whether we will do it in the downward spiral of bitterness or in the forward journey of forgiveness.