Forgiveness is LOVE!

Forgiveness, so easy to tell other people to do but so hard to do yourself.  This world is full of people who will hurt you. Some that will give you a horrible day or even cause the most suffering situation that has happened in your life. And to them, God says forgive.  Forgiveness is something God has taught me a lot about lately. I went through a really tough time about a year ago and someone hurt me so bad, I never thought I would ever be able to forgive. I held on to all that anger and let it get the best of me. I built up walls around my heart. I held onto that anger and thought “I’m following God, so it is okay if I am angry over this.” I was so wrong. I never realized how much this anger defined me. That anger spread to other things and finally God made it clear that I had to forgive this person. I did and it was one of the hardest things ever but after that God’s joy and peace was amazing. I knew this is what God wants. Just another thing God taught me about love. Forgiveness is love and Love is forgiveness. No matter what situation or suffering you went through or are going through, it can be used to glorify God. God uses the troubles you go through, to help give hope to others who are going through the same thing. We were never meant to be alone, that’s why we have Jesus and God gives us people in our lives that understand. When you ask God for forgiveness and repent, God forgets everything. But sometimes we hold on to our past. You need to forgive yourself because God has already forgiven and forgotten your old self. I remember one year at camp Keith Comp was speaking and he said “Think of the person you hate the most and that is how much you love Jesus.” Thinking about this totally floored me. But he is right; God calls us to love like He has loved us. Sometimes as followers of God, we weigh our sin on a scale. We think to ourselves “Well I have only gossiped but that guy, he committed murder so obviously I am better than him.” When the truth is sin is the same in God’s eyes which sometimes seems unfair to me but it amazes me how God looks at all people the same. Jesus looks past all the baggage you’re carrying and say give it to me, it is time to let go. Every human is going to let you down, that’s just human nature. Your family, your best friend and even your amazing boyfriend/husband are all going to fail you. Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Everyone is going to let you down, but put all your hope and trust in the one person who won’t, your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.