Over the last few days, God has been bringing to my mind several different people and situations where I once worked through forgiveness but am needing to re-visit, so I can go to a deeper level of forgiveness. This is a daunting thought. I looked at these people and situations, and still even after walking through so much forgiveness I feel splinters in my heart. After all this time, I still feel splinters…..It’s hard to believe. But here’s where the Hope lies, God wants me to be totally free! He knows where pain and unforgiveness have found a hiding place in my heart and He’s ready to uncover a little more, so I can become more free than I was yesterday. The worst thing I could do in this moment is to hold back and pridefully proclaim that I’ve already done all the forgiving that needs to be done. If God is bringing it back to surface, then that’s clearly not the case.
Sometimes, I think we decide that when an offense or hurt happened during our childhood, we have no right to still be hurting as adults. I have found nothing to be further from the truth. What wasn’t dealt with in childhood, must be dealt with at some point no matter how much time has passed. People often say how resilient children are, but what I’ve noticed is they are just able to adapt. It’s not that the wounds don’t matter to them, rather they learn how to become survivors, and instead of walking into healing and freedom they adjust and walk with a limp. Unfortunately, that’s not walking in true freedom.
Freedom seems to be a recurring theme in our time together. Freedom is so important. I’ve felt the lack of it, and I know the fullness of it and believe me whatever you need to walk through to get to the other side is worth it.
God never intended me to live my life shackled down by the past. He created me to fly! He never intended me to walk through life with PTSD, He created me to partner with His healing! Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM!
Are you walking in freedom today? Look around the garden of your heart and let God highlight any weeds of offense or hurt that need to be plucked out. He longs to fully restore your heart. When He paid the ultimate price on the cross, He bought all of you. Not a portion. ALL of you. He longs for you to walk out onto the waters of healing and find Him there waiting.
Are you ready?
Even if you’ve already walked out some healing during our time together, I encourage you to check back in with God and your heart to see if more needs to occur. There is no shame in needing healing. It would be a shame to avoid it though. Let God tenderly comb over your heart again, and see what happens.
God, I am coming to You, once again, and asking You to highlight any wounds or unforgiveness that is blocking up my heart. Lord, I want to walk into the fullness of freedom. Guide me through this process. I am fully surrendered to Your hand. Work within me wherever is necessary. I am Yours. In Jesus name, Amen.
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22
365 Days in the Presence 