Day 4 – Pep Talk: Letting Go Yields More Joy
Good morning!
We have just THREE more days to go to complete our FIRST week of establishing a more consistent (DAILY) Bible reading schedule. Let’s hang in there together! 🙂 *Join us in our 21 Day Bible Reading Challenge at any time!
Could it be that you’ve got a ROADBLOCK in your way that’s keeping you from peace and JOY….and that roadblock is also blocking the bridge to building a closer relationship with the Lord?
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14,15 KJV
Ewww… What a scary roadblock in the way!
UNFORGIVENESS can be an ugly (DESTRUCTIVE) monster lurking in the dark place of our heart that can rob of us not only of JOY, but also of contentment and growing spiritually.
The time I remember harboring resentment in my heart, it did two things…
(1) It caused my attitude toward that person to be less than kind, loving and compassionate.
(2) It kept me looking backwards (pondering the past mistreatment), instead of moving forward.
Did you hear that? It left me stuck in the mud and not moving forward in my spiritual growth, even when reading my Bible.
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62 (KJV)
“Forgiving and letting go are steps on our road of back to happiness.” ~ Loretta Walker
There’s no true CONTENTMENT in our heart when it’s crowded with resentment and bitterness.
Forgiving in a CHOICE you must make. I realize that there are some extremely, difficult and terrible situations that have happened in many of our lives. It’s not easy to let go…and it’s impossible to forget!
What I had to do for a few months is to get on my knees in the morning and thank God for allowing that situation because it made me STRONGER…and now He could also use it in my life to have more COMPASSION on others who are hurting.
You will find yourself picking up that ugly, destructive monster over and over again. All you need to do is forgive “AGAIN” and hand it back to the Lord Jesus. Just keep doing it every day.
Then, sit down and READ your Bible and pray. Feast on the Word of God! Get the good treasures in there! Move forward in your spiritual life!
Colossians 3:13 says…
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
Side note: We’ve all said and done things that have offended others, whether we realize it or not. It’s easier to forgive others when we realize our own faults and blunders in life. It’s imperative that we forgive if we want God’s merciful forgiveness upon our own life.
GENTLE REMINDER: Forgiving OURSELVES is another choice we need to make. God forgave our past failures and mistakes when we asked Him, so we should also forgive ourselves.
Complete Today’s Challenge:
Please spend at least 10 minutes today reading God’s Word. If you have time, write at least ONE Bible verse in your journal. (*There’s 10 Bible Verses below — you can choose one of those to write in your journal, if you wish.)
10 Bible Verses to Read on Forgiveness:
Numbers 14:18 (KJV) The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Psalm 86:5 (KJV) For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Psalm 130:4 (KJV) But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
Matthew 6:14, 15 (KJV) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mark 11:25 (KJV) And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Luke 6:37 (KJV) Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Luke 17:3, 4 (KJV) Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Ephesians 4:32 (KJV) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Colossians 3:13 (KJV) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
1 John 1:9 (KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
