Lindsay Roberts
A favorite Scripture passage of mine is Mark 11:22-24. It talks about having faith in God and speaking to your mountain so it will obey you.
But it’s the rest of that passage that not everybody enjoys quoting. “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (v. 25–26 NKJV).
I truly believe that we have to forgive so God can forgive us. But I’ll be perfectly honest, there are times that I’d rather beat the tar out of somebody than forgive them! At one such time the Lord spoke to me, “Can you forgive from your heart right now?” And I said, “No.” Then He said, “Do you believe that I can forgive?”“Absolutely,” I replied. “Then would you let the Christ in you forgive them?” He asked. I admitted, “That much I can do.”
The Lord reminded me of another familiar Scripture, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). In our own humanness we may not be able to forgive others, but Christ can give us the strength to do things that we can’t do alone.
Then I prayed, Father God, I pray for the Holy Spirit inside me, the Jesus Christ that I’ve accepted into my heart, to rise up and do a forgiving work in me so I can forgive this person.
If there is someone you feel you are unable to forgive, ask the Lord to help you release the hurt, the pain, and the anguish; not in your strength, but in God’s. And forgive yourself. We’re not perfect, but through Christ we can do all things!