Echo of GodSample

Echo of forgiveness

Is there a pain in your soul that no one knows about but you? Moments in your life that have hurt you deeply. Until today, you didn't have the courage to talk about it with others. For years, you have tried to forget it. But again, and again, it comes up. There is a wound in your soul that does not heal and that hurts so much. Today, I want to talk about how your soul can be healed.

Wounds need time to heal. And they need to be cleansed of all foreign bodies. The same is true for your soul. Forgiveness is the part you contribute to healing. Forgiveness means pulling the foreign body out of the wound. And forgiveness helps you to overcome the trauma.

The story of Joseph talks remarkably about the power of forgiveness. Although his brothers had sold him, years later he held nothing against them. God had changed his heart through forgiveness. After all the bad experiences at the hands of his brothers, he could now stand before them and say, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good." Not a word of revenge. No word of anger. No reproach. Forgiveness had healed his heart.

Forgiveness causes the bad experiences of your past to no longer determine your future. Forgiveness sets you free. Forgiveness is a choice. Forgiveness means giving up the right to revenge. Although it does not undo what has happened, it does change its meaning.

This decision is incredibly liberating. And at the same time, it can take you a lot of strength. If you need help with this, be sure to seek one-on-one support from a counselor or pastor in your community. Forgive others! And forgive yourself. Just as God has forgiven you. Receive God's forgiving grace for your life. And let that forgiveness echo in your relationship with those around you.