Make the Decision to Forgive

For the last week or so, the Lord has been filling my mind with the word “forgiveness.”  It seems forgiveness has been the theme of many recent blog posts I have read, and the need for forgiveness is evident in many lives around us.  All you need to do is open your eyes and heart to the pain that so many are suffering, and you will see that the source of that pain lies in the refusal to just let go.

Satan is happily and cleverly deceiving us.  We are being fooled into thinking that we are “punishing” those who have offended or hurt us when we tightly hold onto the sadness, bitterness, anger and confusion.  We are living under deception when we hold grudges and wish harm on others because of their transgressions.

I have even heard Christians loudly proclaim that they hope a person “burns and rots in hell” because of the nature of their crimes.

Only the Lord knows a person’s heart.  Only the Lord knows the journey that person has traveled and where his journey will lead.  Only the Lord will make the Final Judgment.

Are we forgetting the conversion of Saul, the persecutor and murderer?

9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” ⁵ He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” ⁷ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; ¹⁶ I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ¹⁷ So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.  For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, ²⁰ and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”    Acts 9:1-20

Until a person’s last breath is taken, there is always the possibility of conversion.  There is always the hope that they will open their heart to the saving grace of Jesus.  That is the reason why we must pray for those that have wronged us…pray for and love our enemies.  We must be blessings to all, and love all.

Why are we so afraid to trust the Lord and His love for us?  We claim that we love Him and recite Bible verses;  however, we stubbornly and greedily hoard a list of wrongs in our hearts.  Those wrongs may have been horrendous, hateful actions or words against us, or maybe perceived offenses that we carry within ourselves.

Let it go!

Forgive those who hurt and offended you, no matter how grievous it was.  Forgive yourself, for whatever it is that Satan constantly accuses you of.  If you can’t find it in your heart to forgive and let go, confess that to the Lord, and give the whole situation to Him.  Ask Him to fill your heart with His love, and to help you pray for that person who hurt you.

Satan knows that when you keep your heart filled with resentment, hate, anger, bitterness, sadness, and confusion, there is little room for the Holy Spirit.  Stop feeding into Satan’s lies and deceptions that keep your heart and life in darkness.

Take a true step in faith.  No matter what your feelings are, no matter how deep the pain is, make the decision to forgive.  And pray that The Holy Spirit fills your heart with light and love so intense that it spills over to the souls suffering in darkness.

 

 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.   Matthew 6:14-15

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.   1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.  Ephesians 4:31-32   

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The Good Shepherd

This morning, on the way to work, I was praying and meditating.  All of a sudden,  the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd filled my mind and heart.  This kind of vision has never happened to me before.

What I saw was Jesus on a hillside, surrounded by many sheep.   All I could feel was love from him, and he was smiling, holding as many lambs as he possibly could.   Meanwhile, there were lambs and sheep at different places around him.  Some were at his feet, some grazing around him, and some were far away…actually turned away from him.

At first, I was filled with the love and mercy that The Good Shepherd has for me.  Then the realization of the immense love he has for all his sheep, especially the ones who were far away from him, filled my being.

This led me to the knowledge of why we must love and pray for our enemies, or those that we consider “evil.”  No matter what sins they have committed, no matter where they are spiritually, Jesus is continuously loving them and waiting for the conversion of their hearts.  He knows his sheep…he knows what sparked the actions and disbelief, and he loves them through all of it.  He is waiting for them to open their hearts to him.

We must do the same.  We must love everyone where they are at.  Even if we don’t feel it.  We must continue to pray for eyes to be opened, and for the conversion of hearts and souls.  For hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.

It does not matter where you  have been all these years, the things  you have done, or even that you have turned away from the Lord as you closed your eyes and heart to his mercy and love.

Know this…He loves you in a way you can not comprehend.  He is waiting for you to accept his saving love and grace, and will rejoice in your return to him!

 

Hatred stirs up strife,  But love covers all sins.    Proverbs 10:12

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.   John 10:11

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.  John 10:14

 

True Love and Freedom

When praying this morning, I felt intense peace of the Holy Spirit, and then was overcome with a deep feeling of grief and sadness.  It was overwhelming.

Usually, the names or faces of those that need prayer appear to me.  Today, that was not the case.

There is either someone in my life right now that is in dire need of Christ’s healing love and forgiveness, or it was the despair of a multitude of souls in need of conversion and repentance.

The sadness and intensity of need filled my spirit with love and a strong desire to pray for them.

I meditated on the rosary, and asked the Lord to send His Holy Spirit to open hearts to His perfect love, and heal those most in need.  This world needs the saving grace of Jesus, and needs our prayers to touch them.  So many are floundering, confused, and miserable.

Not so long ago, I was one of those souls.

Dear Father, thank you for loving us always; especially for those times when we fall and ask for your forgiveness and peace. 

You are pure love and joy and our souls long to be in your presence;

Thank you for sending your Son in human form…that through His suffering, death and resurrection, we are set free. 

For true freedom is a heart joined with you, covered with the blood of Christ.  Help us to share your love and grace with those most in need. 

We pray for your protection and guidance, so that we may spread the Good News of the Gospel.