forgive and forget? hard to do?

I am complied to write again, things came up this week with some people that are important to me and i feel the need to write about forgiveness..it can eat at us if we never really take the time to let that person or persons know that they hurt you by something they said eve if they have no idea it hurt you...

I lived far too long behind walls i had built to protect myself from emotional pain because i was determined not to give anyone a change to hurt me a second time. i was no loner going to be abused, but i held the abuse in my heart, and it continued to cause pain in my life because i refused to trust. It took me a while to realize that i could not love anyone as long as i kept myself prisoner behind the walls of unforgivness. i also had to learn that i really could not love and be loved until i was wiling to take a change on being hurt. love hurts sometimes but it also heals. it is the only force that will override hatred, anger. it is the only force that can heal broken or troubled relationship.

the world is filled with hurt and hurting people, and my experience has been that hurting people hurt others. the devil works overtime among God's people to bring offense, strife and disharmony but we can override his attempts to sow hatred and bitterness.

forgiveness closes the door to Satan's attack so that he cannot gain a foothold that might eventually become a stronghold. it can prevent or end strife in our relationships with others. no wonder scripture tells us over and over that we are to forgive those who hurt or offend us.
When you and i refuse to forgive other people ,we open a door for the devil to torment us. we lose our freedom-the glorious freedom that God intended us to have as we follow His way. God is love. He is also merciful, kind, forgiving and slow to anger. we often desire His power and blessing without wanting the lifestyle that goes with those things. Forgiveness must be a lifestyle.

We are to forgive people who ask our forgiveness, even when we are not aware that they have wronged us, because our forgiveness frees them to be at peace.

for example, at time people have asked me to forgive them for not liking me or for speaking unkindly about me or hurting my feelings. i wasn't even aware of their problem. it was not hurting me it was hurting them. i gladly forgave them because i wanted them to be free. we also need to forgive people who do not ask our forgiveness, whether because they did not intend to offend us and do not know they did or because they just don't care. either way,forgiveness frees us from harbouring bitterness and anger in our hearts. it release us.

you may forgive them but you'll never forget how it made you feel...

xoxox kristy(ladybug)