As we continue in the Lord’s Prayer…”We acknowledge you as our Provider of all we need each day.” (Matthew 6: 11) Yes, of all we need, not all we want. There is a difference. The things we want and the things we need sometimes get intermixed as all needs. The culture that we live in has taught us that. We have to acknowledge God as our Provider.
After Matthew affirms who our Provider is, he then goes straight to the issues of the heart. He says, “Forgive us the wrongs we have done as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us.” Forgiving ourselves first helps us forgive others. Sometimes it’s often our own inability to forgive ourselves for things that we have done. We listen to the voices in our head that tell us, “You are not worthy to receive God’s forgiveness.”
Can I tell you these voices are lies straight from the pit of hell? The devil wants us to believe that we are not worthy to receive forgiveness. The truth is: None of us are! That’s what the love and grace of God are all about.
The first part of forgiveness is forgiving ourselves.
The second part of forgiveness is letting go of the things that have hurt us. Attached to those hurts are people. Release the people and the hurts will go. Sometimes it’s a progressive process to forgive, but progressive is equal to continuous. Jesus modeled this when He was dying on the cross. He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34)
In our hurts, we can argue saying, “Oh! They know exactly what they did! It was purposeful manipulative, schemed and planned.” In some instances, this may be true. But, what’s the point in wanting to “be right?” Wanting to “be right” will prevent us from releasing the hurt and releasing the people. We have to ask ourselves, “Do we want to be right or be happy?”
Remember, wanting to be right will stop us from being happy! Let it go! God knows what happened. He clearly took upon Himself all of our sins, and all of our hurts, and the entire worlds! Give it to God, and ask Him to take away the sting that you feel. In time, the stinger dissolves and we no longer feel the hurt nor the pain.
If we choose to keep holding on to the hurt and not let the sting dissolve, here’s what may happen: “My soul dissolves because of grief…” (Psalm 119: 28a) When our soul dissolves unhealthy patterns may occur, maybe even sickness.
Learn to resolve and dissolve those hurts.
How can we do that? The second part of that verse says, “Renew and strengthen me according to [the promises of] Your word.” (Psalm 119: 28b)
We resolve by renewing our hearts and mind with God’s promises in His Word.
If needed, it’s ok to talk with a Godly counselor to help you resolve too.
I’m convinced when the disciples asked the Lord, “Teach us to pray,” they got more than what they thought. With our God, there’s always more! He sees the hurt and the rippled effects it may have on us.
Yet, He also sees and knows that one drop of healing can also affect us, all of us!
“I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” (Philippians 1: 6) God not only heals us but completes and continues to perfect us.
Don’t forget, it is only one drop of His blood that has the power to set us free!
KINGDOM ASSURANCE
You can find all of the Kingdom Assurance series posts by clicking the button below.
