Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Divine Forgiveness

Yesterday was a day of tears for me.  The weight of all the hurt, anger, bitterness, and rage poured out of me.  The more I "tried" to just let go, the more things came pouring out.  I cried most of the day, cried out to HIM, to please take away the anger and sadness that consumed me.  I cried for HIM to please free me from my self-destructive ways.  I cried for the pain of my past, of how I defined myself, my self worth based upon people who hurt me, who failed to protect me, and just how wrapped up I was in the enemies lies. 

This morning HE began preparing for HIS Daily Teaching today by reminding me just how much HE loves me.  As I read my "Power Thoughts Devotional" by Joyce Meyer, May 7th's reading was this: "Be "GOD loves me" Minded.  It was through this devotional that HE was able to capture my heart, and my attention to prepare me for what I have been needing to hear.  

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." 1 John 4:16

When I first started typing the blog this morning, I ran into many road blocks.  Frustrated, I gave up thinking that I wasn't meant to type the blog today.  Little did I know, that HE had much bigger plans in store for me. While getting ready for my day, I started thinking about all the mistakes I've made this past week.  The more I thought about them, the more I could sense HIM saying to me, "NOTHING you could ever say or do would EVER make me love you any less."  

HIS Daily Teachings today is about HIS love for me, HIS awesome, amazing reminders in just how far HE will go to show me just how much HE loves me.  In receiving HIS love and living with HIS true confidence, I know that I am loved by HIM, and because I am loved I want to be HOLY just as HE is HOLY. 

In seeking HIM, and asking HIM to help me to become more HOLY, HE has let me know that its time that I work on forgiveness some more.  This morning HE has let me know that though I "think" I have forgiven those who have hurt me, I really have only forgiven them in human forgiveness.  HE is letting me know that there is a HUGE difference from human forgiveness and HIS Divine Forgiveness.

HE is telling me that in human forgiveness I am merely giving up or forfeiting my right to revenge.  This I know is the world's view on forgiveness.  For most of my life I have chosen human forgiveness, and with that I have shut people out of my life.  This is something that may have worked for me in my past, but now that I have HIM to teach, lead, and guide me on my journey towards wholeness, I know that I need so much more than just shutting people out.  I need total and complete healing, so that I will be able to live out HIS true plan and purpose for my life.

HE is teaching me what HIS Divine Forgiveness has meant for me.  Through Divine Forgiveness my sins have been pardoned or forgiven.  

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

I know this to be true as when I confess my sins, HE forgives me of my sins.  HE has proven HIMSELF time and again to me to be faithful.  In knowing and BELIEVING that HE is faithful, I also know that HE is righteous as HE chooses to forgive me of ALL of my sins.  HE is the only ONE WHO washes ALL of my sins away and WHO cleanses my soul.

HE is telling me that in receiving HIS Divine Forgiveness, my sins have all been forgotten.  This means that anything that I have thought, said, or done, has been wiped away clean, when I chose and boldly declared for HIM to be my LORD and SAVIOR.

"as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12

In receiving HIS Divine Forgiveness I live in HIS true confidence that ALL of my sins have been eradicated.  This means that when I chose HIM to be my LORD and SAVIOR, HE gave me new life, and I was reborn.  During my rebirth I received HIS greatest gift to me, and this is HIS HOLY SPIRIT.  In choosing to be lead by HIS HOLY SPIRIT it has become my heart's desire to be free from the strongholds, and bondage's, that I have in my life.  This is how I know and understand why I am typing this blog titled HIS DAILY TEACHINGS.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

It is because of HIS love that I am seeking  HIM more and more each day, and asking HIM to create in me a heart like HIS.  I am learning that HIS love is greater than anything I have ever known in my life, and because of HIS love, I know that I want to do more, and be more than I ever thought or imagined I could be.  This means, forgiving the people who let me down, who hurt me, and who failed to rescue me.  I must understand that the people who failed to rescue me couldn't have, as they weren't rescued themselves.  Even more than that, though they may have been rescued, they didn't realize that because they were rescued they were called to rescue others.  

This is a very sobering thought for me, as I think back on the generations of my family.  The amount of heartaches, heartbreaks, trauma's, suicide's, abuse, divorce, deaths, all those lost souls, who I pray knew JESUS before their time on Earth here is through.  It has become my mission which I BELIEVE is HIS mission for me to change our families legacy.  To accept the challenge that HE has placed in front of me, to which HE has called me to.  To die unto myself, to pick up my cross and carry it daily.  To seek HIM, all of HIM to know HIM, so that I will then be like HIM.  It is my desire for other's to know JESUS through me, to see HIM through me, and to have that same desire created in their hearts, because I was brave enough, courageous enough, strong enough to say YES to HIM to go where HE calls me to go, and to do what HE calls me to do.  

"Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

Today I am understanding more about what HIS Divine Forgiveness means for me.  I know that it is through EVERY single test, trial, and storm that is being brought to the surface, that HE is strengthening me.  I must continue to seek HIM, and allow HIM to take me through the storms of my life, so that I will then be able to extend HIS Divine Forgiveness to others.

HE is telling me that the more I seek HIM, and HIS Divine Forgiveness, it is changing me, in the most amazing way.  In allowing  HIM to change me, I am overcoming my strongholds, I am becoming more like HIM, and I am seeing this broken and fallen world through HIS eyes.  HE is once again reminding me that my life is HIS living testament of HIS Divine Forgiveness.  

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

HE is teaching me that in receiving HIS love, living with HIS love, it's all designed to change me.  To create in me a heart for people, to know them and love them as HE loves them.  For me to let go of thinking that my life is about me, and coming alongside of HIM and partnering with HIM to do HIS good works, to go out and rescue the people that it is about!  More than ever, I am understanding that because I have been rescued its now my turn to RESCUE others, and I know that I will only be able to do that when I choose to love as HE loves, and to choose to forgive with HIS Divine Forgiveness.

"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.  And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."
1 John 4:20-21

" Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Matthew 18:21-22 

When I first realized that HE was going to take me through another lesson of forgiveness, I sighed, as I thought, "really again?"  Just from where I was at 5 am this morning, is so different to where I am now.  It's only been five hours, and my how my perception of WHO I am called to be has changed.  Today I am so thankful for HIS vision to see that even though I "think" I am forgiving, I must always to remember to see things as HE sees them, and that includes the people who hurt or fail me.  

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8

I pray today that if you have received HIS Divine Forgiveness, that you will allow HIM to soften your heart to the people who have hurt or failed you.  I pray today that you will know that through HIS Divine Forgiveness, that HIS peace will given to you, that you will know that it doesn't excuse what other people may have done to you.  However it does relieve you from the burden of guilt, hurt, anger, rage, bitterness, and shame.  I pray today that you will seek HIS peace for your life, and allow HIM to be LORD and Savior for your life.  I pray for HIS blessings and favor to be poured over you because of your obedience.

Blessings,
Heather 






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