Letting Go and Moving Forward
We all have memories from the past, childhood experiences, relationships gone wrong, workplace turmoil, etc. that pop up in our thinking from time to time and leave a troubling thought or bitterness in our memory. The real issue is how we choose to manage these thoughts and conflicts that we face. We can dwell on them and allow them to grow and sour our day or we can choose to discard them immediately once we recognize them for what they are – distractions from the enemy of our soul, obstacles on the path of life.
Was the wrong intentional or were the individuals involved really misinformed and negligent to research the truth of the matter? We are left to wonder. When thoughts of what I perceive as wrongs done to me come to mind, I visualize a chalk board with the offenses and the individual’s name written on it. Then I pray about it, choose to forgive, and I picture a giant eraser coming and wiping it all away. Clearing the board. This is a choice I make, and it is not a onetime thing. It takes multiple times of this mental exercise to wipe out and forgive deep offense and wrongs in our minds and spirits. It can be a process over years to forgive and wipe out memories of serious hurt and injustices done to us. But holding a grudge is like letting someone live rent free in your head!
Proverbs 26:20 tells us, “Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.” I have found this to be so true. If we do not allow ourselves to dwell on hurts and insults, the sting of them gradually dies off but if we continue to rehearse them in our minds or to others, it only reinforces the depth of the wounding in our own spirits and minds. We hold ourselves captive to negativity. Only by relinquishing these hurts to God can we get free of them.
There are times in life when we realize that wrongs done to us were intentional, but we must remember what Joseph came to realize concerning the mistreatment he suffered. Genesis 50:20, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result…” It is difficult to realize at the time of the hurt and may take years to see how any good came out of it. I am sure it took some years for Joseph. But God is always working for our good, even in bad situations. Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble; He cares for those who trust in Him.”
So, it does not matter how many times we have to forgive, Jesus told us to just keep on forgiving. “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22
We are all works in progress and in need of forgiveness from one another. Choose to forgive wrongs and erase the issues from your mind and spirit.
Walk free and clear!
As you read this, if any hurtful memories come to mind, forgive the offender, and erase them.
Clear the board!