7 Things that Happens When You Forgive
Forgiveness for many is this abstract concept that we’ve all heard for a lifetime to ‘do it’ but yet beyond that there isn’t much. Sit in any church and any pastor anywhere in the world will tell you there is nothing new there. It’s what happens when you forgive that sometimes no one talks about; which is course there must be a reason. Whatever that reason or reason are is not as important as actually know what happens when you forgive.
To begin forgiveness is both an event and a process. Through the event things occur and equally as such; the process of forgiveness numerous things are also occurring; and sometimes simultaneously. So what it is that takes place when you forgive?
1- There is a release within is displayed outward. When you harbor unforgiveness it is on display whether you like it or not. What is in the heart comes out the mouth and well; unforgiveness is no different. When you release the clutter of it; not only will you feel it physically but others will see the release. They may not fully understand what has taken place although they will know there is a transformation.
2- Your physically body will change. When I went through the process of forgiveness I had no clue how life changing it would be; to my body. I remember those days I spent in my room surrendering all the pain, bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness that was taking up space in my mind, body and spirit and had really no idea of what was actually taking place. Sure I had knew Romans 12:2 where it tells us to be transformed by the renewing of my mind although I didn’t catch on that it meant the body too. As a result when I had my first phone call after that experience I sounded different. The tone of my voice was different. Not only that; my eye color changed. This would make sense as when we make the choice to live in darkness we are literally surrounded by it; and I definitely was I just didn’t know it or even that unforgiveness is a form of darkness.
3- Your relationships change. Your relationships change because your heart is no longer as it was before you forgave. Those in your life will experience the new and softer you and in ways that I can’t begin to describe! My relationship with my biological mother changed drastically where I didn’t hate or resent her any more; my heart changed to accept and love her as Jesus did. The fact that she abandoned me all those years ago wasn’t something for her to pay for any longer. I was free and so was she. The release of forgiveness releases the bloom of your relationships because the bondage over them is removed.
4- You are changed. You are not the same person as you were before you made the choice to forgive; you can’t be. You cannot go through a life changing process and then be just as you were. The change is too dramatic. It would be similar to those who return from tour of duty for the military to come back with nothing being different or parents to go back and live as though they did before having children. It simply cannot be done. You are not who you were which means nothing in your life will ever be from that moment on. And praise God for that because the direction you would have gone would have only been further from Him.
5- The door to your life and purpose can open. Anything that is not of God that you allow to enter your life is a hindrance. Any hindrance only separates you from God; and that includes unforgiveness and your thinking. What happens is that any distortion of thought will keep you operating at a false level of action. Sure you may have a ‘good’ plan and life but that does not mean it is the ‘God’ plan for your life at all. When you forgive, you are changed. This means that going back to what you were once doing in the way that you were doing won’t be the same. It can’t be. You are not who you were when you were doing what you were doing. And as such trying to be who you were when you are not will prove to be very uncomfortable. Now this is not to say that you have a new identity and you should just go switch careers by any means but what it does mean is that for who you are becoming in the process of forgiveness; new opportunities will come. They can’t not!
You may know right at this very moment that God has something big in store for your life; and He does. Yet for some reason you just can’t seem to get to it; regardless of how many classes you take or life coaching sessions- nothing seems to work. That would be correct. The correct doors will open for you to enter and with ease because you will have moved yourself out of the way for God to work and through the process of forgiveness; you are becoming more who He created you to be which means the doors He desires will open. My testimony is proof of this. There is no way for me to write about forgiveness had I not walked through it. There is no life on the side of death in any realm.
6- Your relationship with the Lord will deepen. When the internal clutter is removed your hearing increases, you will walk in higher level of authority because you can and understand it; and you will grow in Him and His love in ways that you just have to experience for yourself. The way in which you see other people and their struggles will be more in line with His Word. Your heart for people will change and how you love and receive love from others will change; all because there is more of Him operating in you. It’s always been there it was just unforgiveness covering it all up. When it removed; the freedom to explore your relationship with the Lord will expound exponentially and for the betterment of His Kingdom.
7- You will be on your way to become who God intended in the beginning. God created you with very specific attributes and what a glorious things that is! The God of the universe had you in mind from before the foundation of the earth. You are something special dear beloved; and the enemy wants to destroy every bit of it. The best news is that when you forgive you are removing the enemy’s assignment to destroy you. You are taking the steps toward becoming who God created you to be from the very start. Whatever was eating you from the inside out will no longer have the power to control you; to rob you of your real identity. As you experience the process of forgiveness you will begin to be revealed to you and to the entire world. Gone is the past and everything with it and the real you can begin to live as God intended. The new wine can be poured into the new wineskin after all!
We serve a God who makes the impossible possible. A God that has every good thing in store for you who withholds no good thing. He has it all for you and while there is a plot to steal your life; through simply forgiving you can be restored to God’s original design. You can become who He created from all along. It’s right there all you have to do is get ready and do it! And do it before it’s too late.
For more about forgiveness watch ‘Living in Forgiveness’ weeknights at 9:30pm CST on the UANetwork.
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