Free to Forgive

So I listened to Part 2 in the Life Rules series, took a little longer b/c things got hectic but it was soooo good...i took a ton of notes so i figured id share them with you..and if you have time, you really should download this series..its so good...podcasts are so addicting hehe...

Ephesians 4:31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.


in our world primarily when the going gets tough we start talking...this is not good

our life rules help progress and keep the peace.

we have 3 sets of rules we follow:
rules that are handed down to us
cultural rules
intuitive rules

We need to remember to do unto others as has been done unto us by our Heavenly Father

We need to have forgivemess grace mercy unconditional acceptance of others

We need to remember that Paul was writing this letter from a prison and he was betrayed by close family members and family..we can not say he doesnt know our circumstances...he wwent through the same thing if not worse

Paul thinks its possible to get rid of this stuff we carry; and it wont cost you ANYTHING to explore getting rid of it

Forgiveness is 2 things...1 a decision we make 2 making the decision that someone does not owe you anymore, you cancel the debt

When we are hurt by someone, we lose something and can never get it back; we need to make it a habit to forgive and live in that lifestyle

Forgiveness doesnt make sense unless you are a forgiven person

Forgive just ask Christ forgave us

Do not forgive b/c they deserve to be forgiven but b/c we have been forgiven...at the cross we lost our excuse not to forgive

3 steps to forgiveness:
1. identify the people you are angry with
2. determine what they oew you
3. Just cancel the debt

when you are angry with someone or someone has wronged you...they have left a hook in you and have control over you...it is up to you to remove that hook adn let them lose the control they have over you

** person who hurt you CAN NOT set you free...only God can set you free

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So this was a good refresher for me...as many of you know i had a rough summer and made a decision to forgive in a very unlikely situation...and as many of you saw God healed me and God did set me free after i made that choice. forgiveness is a lifestyle i have tried my hardest to live in, i dont see the point in holding onto any past things or grudges...i dont look at things ive done and regret...everything i have gone through and every decision i have made has led me right to where i am now...and i feel right now i am so much closer to God than i have ever been. nobody is perfect though and its so hard to just let things go a lot of the time...it is so hard to fill a void that somebody left, but i assure you with practice and once you are able to toally forgive someone God will fill that void...