I plead with you with all my heart to please forgive your family!
Whether your whole family, your parents, brothers and sisters, kids, grandkids, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, cousins, second cousins, family by adoption, step-parents, step-children, distant relatives, family-in-Christ, absolutely anyone you are related to in some way, please forgive your family!
No matter what they did or said, did not do or did not say, no matter how small or gargantuan or somewhere in between their wrong, please forgive your family!
Please do not read this message and hold onto any excuses like, “They hurt me too badly,” “They don’t deserve my forgiveness,” “They ruined my childhood,” “He ruined my life,” “He is in jail where he belongs, and I don’t have to forgive a criminal,” etc. Please do not hold onto any excuses at all!
Without going into detail, my life has been devastated by a very tragic and heartbreaking family situation for many years, and for a long time I was emphatic that I would absolutely NEVER EVER forgive!
BUT GOD COMMANDED ME TO FORGIVE, GOD ENABLED ME TO FORGIVE, GOD HAS GIVEN ME A HEART OVERFLOWING WITH LOVE AND FORGIVENESS FOR MY BELOVED PRECIOUS FAMILY, I PRAY FOR MY FAMILY WITH ALL MY HEART, I TRY TO BE A BLESSING TO MY FAMILY, AND NOW I COME TO YOU PLEADING WITH YOU.
PLEASE FORGIVE YOUR FAMILY!
Please, friend, consider these 6 truths:
- God commands us to forgive; we need to forgive in obedience to Him!
- God does not forgive those who do not forgive others!
“”For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV
- God gives us the ability to obey Him whereby we live a godly life!
“as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,…” 2 Peter 1:3-4 NKJV
- No matter how family may hurt us, let us down, disappoint us, do wrong, devastate our lives, etc., I believe if we open our hearts and eyes there is always something we can and should be thankful for regarding our family!
“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV
- Jesus died on the cross for ALL our sins including ours and our family’s sins. He did so while we were still sinners setting an example to us of love and forgiveness concerning others and their wrongdoing!
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8 NKJV
- We should REPENT of our sins including anger, hurt, revenge, bitterness, pride, judgment, condemnation, envy, self-pity regarding our families, SEEK GOD’S FORGIVENESS AND THE FORGIVENESS OF THOSE WE HAVE HURT which may include family and the way we have responded to family hurting us, BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD and His love and mercy, PRAY for our family, and MODEL to them the light and love and kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ!
“pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 NKJV
Please, friend, please forgive your family! Please do not delay! Please, please, please forgive now and at any time in the future you need to forgive! Oh, forgive your family! AMEN!
p.s. I LOVE MY BEAUTIFUL BELOVED FAMILY BEYOND MEASURE NOW WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO WHEN WE DO NOT FORGIVE, AND I LOVE TO POUR GOD’S LOVE OUT UPON THEM AND TO BLESS MY FAMILY HOWEVER THE LORD SO LEADS!
The following are VITAL verses on FORGIVENESS including an incredibly powerful story about how we must forgive FROM THE HEART. I so hope you will take the time to read these verses!
Matthew 18:21-35 NKJV
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’
34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”