For Thought and Meditation - Monday, September 12

[Pine Baron]

Good morning all. A great message and reminder of a struggle we all need to overcome. Have a safe and blessed day.

The High Cost of Unforgiveness
by Greg Laurie on Sep 12, 2022

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
—Ephesians 4:31–32

There will come a moment in your life when you’ll have your last conversation with someone you love. You may not realize it’s your last one, which is why it’s always a good thing to end your conversation with the words “I love you.”

When the Lord called our son Christopher home, he knew that we loved him because we always told him that we did. It’s a very important thing to do.

Our loved ones can’t read our minds. Think about those you love, those who mean a lot to you. Tell them that you love them, even if you think they already know. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Also, keep short accounts and forgive. Realize that people will disappoint you, even people you love. We all will face hurt and pain in life, but what we don’t want to do is harbor grudges.

Studies suggest that those who don’t forgive are more likely to experience high blood pressure, bouts of depression, and problems with anger, stress, and anxiety. When we forgive others, we’re not letting them off the hook. Rather, we’re avoiding misery in our own lives.

I’ve said before that when you forgive someone, you set a prisoner free: yourself. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus, “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32 NLT).

I think of the story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis and the horrible things that Joseph suffered because his brothers betrayed him. At the time that he could have had them all executed, he instead forgave them and said, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20 NKJV).

Forgive. Don’t live in a self-imposed prison of anger, bitterness, and resentment, which can ruin your life

[buckwheatpaul]

A struggle foe sure...thanks for the lesson!

[USMC87]

Amen, this is a daily prayer of mine.

[brokeasajoke]

Someone said in church yesterday that having bitterness towards someone is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for them to die.

[Wayne Smith]

I have learned to reverse that - I am as likely to hurt someone and need forgiveness as to be hurt by someone and need to forgive. When I see myself as a perpetrator it is easier to accept that others do as well, usually just as unintentionally as I do.

[hoodat]

I wonder if there comes a time when we need to forgive ourselves. ?? jd

[sniper]

I wonder if there comes a time when we need to forgive ourselves. ?? jd

Every day!

[Wayne Smith]

I wonder if there comes a time when we need to forgive ourselves. ?? jd

Rather than forgiving myself it is accepting that God has forgiven me - accepting that forgiveness wipes out my sin.

[brokeasajoke]

Rather than forgiving myself it is accepting that God has forgiven me - accepting that forgiveness wipes out my sin.

Yes yes yes