THE MAIN THEME:  CHANGING YOUR WORLD

TITLE: THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

The bible verse for today’s devotional is: Matthew 6:14 

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you..”

Devotional

But dad, Emmanuel deliberately hurt my feelings, Dinma lamented; he is fun of cajoling me in the presence of his friends, calling me “fatty bombom” I am not happy being fat, and I have been working towards losing weight. I have cut down on my carb intake, I am exercising more now, because he is not seeing the effect does not mean that I am not worried about it. I won’t let his making me look stupid and worthless before his friends slide, Dinma expressed furiously.

This is a typical experience of teens amongst their siblings and friends. Sometimes when your heart aches from pains of unforgiveness it blurs your mind from thinking critically and relating freely. Unforgiveness is like taking pills for someone else’s ailment or drinking poison expecting the other person to drop dead. It is of no value as the negative effect is far more devastating. Does it minimize the effect of offence, no! but you have a choice to let if fester or to trash it by letting it go.

Forgiveness is first about you, it is about your mental health, it’s about your overall well being. While forgiveness is difficult it is the key to releasing freedom, peace, and joy into our lives. This is why forgiveness is not dependent on the apology tendered to you, sometimes the offender might be ignorant of his offence, so choose to forgive ahead of offences so that you can guard your inner peace.

We are all in need of forgiveness. Jesus praying for us on the cross asked God to forgive us for we know not what we do. And he made forgiveness a condition for us to receive forgiveness from God. Do you think you ‘ve got a choice in this matter?  Nope, simply give what you want to receive. Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. You see, forgiveness is first about you.

Forgiveness is God’s nature, Psalm 86:5 “Oh Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. Have you accepted God's forgiveness of your sin through Christ Jesus? Have you extended forgiveness to yourself, today and now is the right time to do so.

This is one of the ways we can change our world, when we extend forgiveness to those that hurt us and to ourselves.

Here are a few reflective questions:

1. Who do I owe forgiveness today? You may need to make a call now to that person
2. Have I completely forgiven myself of any past mistake?

Let us Pray:

Thank you, Lord for your word to me today. Thank you for forgiving my sins and demonstrating how to offer it to others,  I receive grace to forgive my offenders and to extend forgiveness to myself in Jesus name Amen

Please say these words of affirmation after me. Say them, mean them, own them and live them:

• I am worthy of love and forgiveness
• I embrace freedom, peace and joy that forgiveness offers me today

I’ll see you tomorrow

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