Good morning,

There is a reality TV show called “Hoarders” where they help people who have problems with hoarding things to excess. Some people watch it for amusement thinking, “I would never be like that” sort of like the Pharisee who looked down on the drunk and proudly prayed about his religious habits while all the poor man could do was throw himself on God’s mercy (Luke 18:20-14). Others watch the show to get them motivated to clean out their home.

I have found that getting rid of physical items is easy but, when it comes to the things we hold in our heart, it is a different story. Before I came to Christ Jesus and was forgiven, I had collected every unkind word, every insult, and every pain that was inflicted on me. I looked at those things from time to time thinking how nice it would be to retaliate in such a way as to permanently scar the individual(s) that hurt me. I used to think, “I cannot be hurt” not knowing how much the Devil’s minions were hurting me bringing up those thoughts and egging me on. I’d also like to think that I am the only one that has been hurt and abused for a jackal’s amusement sort of like Elijah on the mountain (1 King 19:8-10). I have found, after talking with many people, that what I deal with is a common issue (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Just as everyone has the same problem, there is also a healing balm in Gilead that will heal it and it is called “forgiveness”. Forgiveness doesn’t rid the pains from our heart, it gives us the strength to let the pains go. The reason we may not forgive is that we think that the person who hurt us needs to pay for it”. when we forgive, and not allow the words of the Jackal to haunt our hearts, we become free and can open the doors of our hearts once again. Stand encouraged my friends that you are not alone because someone else has gone through, is going through, and is about to go through the same thing. To every haunting word that echoes in your heart say, “I forgive you”.

Father,

we as humans have a very difficult time letting go of our pains and sorrows and those words haunt our minds and hearts on a regular basis. Mankind can be so mean and the people who hurt us the most are those we are around on a daily basis like family and peers. Help us today to let go of those pains and sorrows by applying the Balm in Gilead (Jeremiah 51:8-10)

Yours in Christ Jesus Amen.

Forgiveness does not come easily to us, especially when someone we have trusted betrays our trust. And yet if we don’t learn to forgive, we will discover that we can never really rebuild trust. When God forgives us and purifies us of our sin, He also forgets it (billy Graham)