|
GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experiencing an extraordinary God in ordinary life Issue #487 May 11, 2002 Anger and Bitterness He told me that he had been angry for years. When he was very much younger, a pastor friend had betrayed him. He had worked for months on an idea for the congregation, sought consultation frequently with the pastor and researched every resource he could find. The time came to share his thoughts with the elders of the congregation and he was ready. As he made his presentation, the pastor, whom he had thought of as a friend. made a comment that cut the proposed idea off at the knees. How could he do that? He was supposed to be a friend. After years of mistrust and bitterness, he decided to make things right. He was going to tell this pastor a thing or two. He worked up the nerve and made an appointment to see his old "friend". When they met and began to talk about it he realized that the pastor recalled nothing of the incident. The remark he had been so hurt by had been an innocent passing comment. Even if the pastor had malice in his heart when he made the comment it had long been forgotten and he had moved on. The bitterness the man carried all this time had done nothing but tear away at his own soul. His lack of forgiveness had eaten at him and festered away but had no impact on the person he chose not to forgive. That’s the way unforgiveness works. It destroys us from the inside and usually has no impact on the person we haven’t forgiven. I believe that’s the real meaning behind a hard saying from the Bible For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15 NIV If we carry unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment in our hearts we can’t truly understand the forgiveness God has given to us. Until we let it go, we will never truly understand what it means to be forgiven; it will feel like He has not forgiven us. Until next time, may you be freed from the bondage of a bitter and unforgiving heart. May you come to truly understand the freedom of forgiving and being forgiven. Hallelu Yah Do you know the God of love and forgiveness? The one who will forgive you for all the times you have fallen short and messed up? Email me and I’ll share some Bible verses that explain why a personal relationship with Jesus is so important and a prayer that will make it possible. Or simply begin the relationship by saying a prayer along the lines of: Dear God: I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. I need your love and forgiveness. I believe that you came into this world and gave your life on a cross to pay for my sins and that you defeated death and rose again. Please forgive me, and be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you Lord. Amen If you pray this prayer let me know and I will direct you to some free non-denominational resources that will help you grow in that newfound relationship. Did you know that at Gleanings, we have a dedicated team of prayer warriors and all prayer concerns are kept strictly confidential? Your comments, your questions and your joys are shared with the prayer team, to keep me accountable as the head of the ministry and to encourage them as they see God at work in your life. As with prayer all these things are kept confidential within the Gleanings team. To share your prayer concerns and praise reports email us at corbin_writer@shaw.ca If you enjoy this issue of Gleanings From The Word, email it, in its entirety, to a friend. For information on use of Gleanings in your church newsletter or other situations please visit the permissions page To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit http://hundred-acre-woods.com/magic-list/lists/ or email me at corbin_writer@shaw.ca Archived issues of Gleanings From The Word can be found on our web site http://gleanings.jesusanswers.com To share your thoughts on this issue of Gleanings, or to share prayer concerns email us at corbin_writer@shaw.ca or write us at Gleanings From The Word 114 Oak St Sherwood Park, AB Canada T8A 0V8 © 2002 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin Gleanings From The Word Ministries International All Rights Reserved
SUBSCRIBE TO GLEANINGS FOR FREE
|
||||