Hello there, thanks for popping in
Today’s message is a really good one and it could literally change your life forever. It’s from one of the most loving and kind spiritual leaders of all time - Jesus.
But have you ever stopped to wonder how Jesus became so loving and kind? How he could befriend the outcasts and down-trodden?
The answer is really obvious when you know it, but not a lot of us really think about it:
The word forgive appears in the bible about 60 times - depending on what version you read. And it’s the one word that could change your life!
Jesus’ real super power was his ability to forgive people. He could forgive each and every person that crossed his path. I mean he even forgave Peter, the person that went on to betray him… Here’s what Jesus wants to teach you about forgiveness today, so you too can find peace and grace.
Forgiveness is the whole reason Jesus came to earth in the first place. He wanted to die for our sins so we would be forgiven. He forgave people their pasts so they could feel his love in the present moment. He did not hold things against people. He never held a grudge. He allowed people to be the flawed messes that each of us are. He understood that people aren’t perfect.
But what’s more, forgiveness mends relationships. It heals the down-trodden. Forgiveness is the cornerstone of love and understanding.
Imagine you just had a fight with your sibling, parent or partner - in that moment you might be so angry that you say or do things you don’t mean to. It’s only human to get really upset sometimes. Now imagine that feeling you have after the fight. When you realize that you did something wrong. When you start to think about what you really said, and how you could have hurt the other person. That feeling is called guilt.
On the other hand, the person you had the fight with is also upset. They’re probably hurt, maybe even angry. And that doesn’t feel nice either.
But have you ever noticed how that feeling disappears when you go back, apologize and make up? It’s as if all the tension melts and leaves your body. THAT is the power of forgiveness. It makes both people feel better almost instantly. It makes you release the trauma of the fight, or even just a disagreement. It allows you to move on, learn from your mistakes, and become a better person.
But if you keep clinging onto the horrible things that happened it starts to sink into your brain. And every time you go through a similar situation, you’ll react in the same way. You won’t learn anything. And everyone will just get more and more upset as time goes by.
So, the question you have to ask yourself today is, what unresolved traumas are you still clinging onto? What’s making you feel sad, angry, scared, or anxious? And once you know what it is, start to forgive.
Being forgiving can be hard. It can make you feel like you’re just letting people walk right over you. And some people might. But if you stay strong in your boundaries forgiveness can literally change the way you go through your day and your entire life.
Jesus kept standing up for what he believed in. Yes, it led to his crucifixion, but even while he was being nailed to the cross he looked up and said:
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
And do you know what the soldiers did? They threw dice and gambled for his clothes. Yup, they did not care one little bit. But still, Jesus asked them to be forgiven.
Maybe your mission is to stand up to people who keep doing wrong in this world - who don’t love others and keep taking advantage. Maybe you have a family member or friend that just doesn’t understand how they’re hurting you. It’s tough when that happens, but you can still forgive them. You can still let that pain and anger go.
You can still cleanse yourself of the negativity they bring into your life by asking that they be forgiven.
In really bad cases you might have to remove the people that keep hurting you over and over from your life - but that doesn’t mean you have to keep clinging onto that pain and grief.
Ask for forgiveness. Forgive them. Forgive yourself. Feel the pain and discomfort leave your body. And keep going. Keep being the person that you’re meant to be. Keep standing in your own truth and pretty soon you’ll see exactly how powerful forgiveness can be.
By releasing that discomfort with forgiveness you’ll be saving yourself a lot of regrets and even illness later on in life. Not to mention that you’ll be helping other people let go of the things they’ve done wrong too.
It might not always be easy, but forgiveness is the key to a happy life with zero regrets. And the more you practice forgiveness the less pain you’ll be carrying around - and the easier it will be to keep on forgiving.
So go ahead, take a look at why you’re hurting, and start to forgive whatever needs forgiving.
