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Anchor of the Soul from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. When people lose hope, they lie down and die. They lose the will to live and fight any longer. Hopelessness is utter despair, the belief that nothing good will happen. When you begin to think like this, it will bring a desire to die. A ... -
The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?" He answered them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, But their heart is far f...
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Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; Isaiah 46:9'10 WEB.During a sci-fi n...
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It's Never too Late!
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Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Linda Darlene Gibson - Filed in Personal - 2,588 views
“Even Now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” Joel 2: 12-13
In my life, there are things I can honestly say I am ashamed of doing. I have on many occasions knelt to God for forgiveness over the same thing over and over. In my early walk with Jesus, I did not fully understand things as I do now and I am sure there are things I do not understand today that God will help me to learn later. The one thing I have learned is when I first asked God to forgive me of things with the sincerest of hearts, he saw my heart and he forgave me at that moment.
The thing I did not understand in the ‘forgiving part’ and that was I needed to forgive myself. We must understand we are human and there is nothing in our lives that cannot be forgiven from God for ‘he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love’. Regardless of how disgraced we feel or horrible we think we have done, it is never too late to return to God or to ask forgiveness for.
Then I think how hard it would be to forgive someone that has done something so horrific to me or a loved one. How could God ask me to forgive them? Is it possible I forgive them? To be honest, I personally do not want to forgive them, but I know I must forgive to be forgiven. I know it can be hard to do for there are things I have been a witness in my life that have made me feel such anger and hatred for the hurt someone has done to me or to a loved one. Then I recall the things I have done in my life that has hurt others which also hurt God and I am truly sorry for that. God looked into my heart and seen my sincerity and he forgave me.
So if he forgave me for the things I did, is it not only right to forgive myself and others? God only knows love for 'God is Love' (1 John 4:8). He loves us more than anything in this world and he wants us to feel the Joy only he can give us. To receive that Joy, we have to forgive ourselves or that someone that has hurt us. We cannot allow the pain of this world to continue in our hearts for it removes the Love of God within us.
So it really is never too late to ask God to forgive you, to forgive yourself of the things you have done or to forgive someone of the hurt they did to you. To live life to the fullest, forgive and allow the Love of Jesus to fill your heart and make the most of this life. Return the gift of your forgiveness to others so that the Love of Jesus be spread through-out the world as that is what God intended for it is written in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, what whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Otherwise, the sacrifice Jesus made for us on that cross will be all in vain and he deserves so much more from us than that.
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This is a beautiful message, Linda, especially for this season, as we celebrate the Son who was sent to bring the ultimate in forgiveness. Thank you so much for sharing <3!
Lord, this one thing that I have struggled with my whole life. And has been hitting me between the eyes as of late. I as for God's forgiveness, but yet, I won't forgive myself, or others. God evidentely is laying it on my heart quite heavily, because I am starting to see that until I forgive myself and others, it doesn't make any difference that God has forgiven me, because I am still holding on to all the guilt and resentments and anger. So, I have made a concious effort to forgive so that I may be forgiven. So, Thank You Linda for this timely post. In Jesus name I Pray, Amen!
Thank you Linda for this beautiful reminder. I struggle every day with forgiving my mistakes, letting go of resentments and pain others have caused. I know the Lord has forgiven me and them yet I still struggle. A work in progress for sure! Your message reminds me to let go and forgive once again. A daily process for sure. I am trying to see each day as a new beginning, a clean slate, to start again and do His will. May you be abundantly blessed this holy season :)
Thank you Linda for sharing this with us.Heavenly Father thank you for Your Grace and Mercy,and that they are new everyday.Thank you for being so loving and patient with us. Help us to let go of all that is past ,as it has gone.What ever we have been through or what ever has happened,let us learn from it.To let go of the past and surrender all to you.Fill our hearts and minds with love and compassion so we can reach out to others.Knowing you are more than enough and in control of our lives.More of you and Less of us In The Name of Jesus Christ I pray
Linda; what a beautiful post. I had trouble with forgiveness till I learned to forgive myself along with the forgiveness of our Lord. Before, even tho I asked God for forgiveness I still had the guilt and shame, forgiving yourself because God has forgiven you is probally one of the most important things a person can do when he ask for forgiveness and repents. What a wonderful feeling. JPM
Beautiful words! Thank you
I have had many moments in my life where I 'thought' I had forgiven someone and in reality, I was still holding onto some bitterness towards that person. The same applies with forgiving myself. I have thought numerous times that I had forgiven myself, only to find shame hiding in the corner of my mind for something I had done. Thank you Linda, for reminding me to forgive others and myself. After all, it IS what God wants for us. I pray that everyone who reads this will be reminded as I was and that they too, can forgive. Holding onto unforgiveness is only clouding our own parade. GOD BLESS EVERYONE!!!
Beautifully said and in such a wonderful timing as well thank you i so needed to read this and i will pass your message around God bless you sister take care <3
I so understand what you are saying. What i am going through and then the forgiveness i must give for the individual that has caused what i am going through. At times it likes to rear its ugly thought again and again. It is so much of a daily struggle to keep it from popping into my mind. The because of my illness, it makes me to say and do things that is not with the walk with the Lord at all. I feel sick to my stomach when i realize that i am doing so wrong according to the word. It drains everything in me. The sad thing is that it will be a continue battle with this and against Satan. For there is no cure but detioration. I hope that going through all of this, I am fogiven.
Matthew West has two songs: "Forgiveness" and "Grace Wins". These pop into my mind along with Toby Mac's song " Til the Day I Die". All of these i try to remember through it all.
Love you, Linda
Lorna
Sorry for the mis spelling. It comes along with it.
Good Morning - Linda!! Very good Teaching!! Ha seemsw I've been seeking-perhaps in wrong places! Easy for Me too say I mis what I attained through hard work though past years!!!!! Funny how it works ya don't know some times what you've had till its gone!!! Happy Holidays too you Sis!!
thank you for describing the hardest but most freeing act we can do for ourselves. God does not judge nor should we ouch... i sometimes forget that one. Great words thank you for sharing... God is forgiveness we just need to ask and as you said God forgives us so we need to forgive others.
Merry CHRISTmas
Susan