FORGIVENESS

There is a lady I've known for some time and the reason I know her is because we have worked together and although we're not acquainted outside of the workplace we have had some pretty in depth conversations.  She is very good to work with and almost always it seems with a smile and kindness to those around her.  I was surprised though when one day she said to me that she struggles with anger and in fact not just anger but a deep sense of hatred toward certain individuals which has become so much a part of her she feels she will never be free of it.  We discussed it as much as time would allow, and I know she understands that God wants her to be free of this anger, but somehow she keeps circling back to the idea that it's too much, too embedded, too deeply rooted within her.  It seems as far as she is concerned this will never change.

I feel certain this sort of situation is why the Bible so clearly teaches that we should let go of anger.  Anger is a natural response of course in some circumstances, but it's the holding of the anger that allows for a situation wherein Satan can bring us to a terrible low point in life.  It's not always something understood by those affected, but it is a sad truth that Satan fuels a situation like this - this is a situation he can use to his advantage.  He is good at keeping people locked in to that state of hostility.  He works so hard at it because he knows the overall effect is that it will stand in our way spiritually.  When we are trying to reach out to God the anger within us blocks our way, unless we lay it down.   

Jesus said we must forgive.  When we come to prayer the first thing we need to do is offer that forgiveness.  I don't doubt for a minute that God understands a sense of hurt and anger.  He has compassion.  He understands how much our lives are affected by our emotions. He not only understands but He provides us with a way to receive healing.  God communicates with us on a spiritual level, and it's the spirit of us, the soul, which belongs to God, which He wants to see cleansed and pure, because this is the part of us through which His own spirit flows.  And when we become that vessel He can fill with his love, then the change comes to the outward part of our being and it becomes very evident what has happened.  Our words, our actions and reactions are different. 

I pray that the time will come when my friend will be able to see that God is certainly able to release her from this hatred and deep sense of despair she feels.  I want her to know the healing power of God's love.  We need to remember that Jesus went to the cross for us, and because of that we are free to come to God, forgiven.  We stand before Him that way, forgiven, when we understand and receive Christ.  And there was no anger in that, no sense of hatred.  He did it in love.  Let's remember that and seek to live within that love.