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Forgiveness (1)

How heavy is a glass of water? That depends on how long you have to carry it. A minute is no problem, and after an hour your arm might ache. But after 24 hours you'll probably be in bad shape! In each instance the glass weighs exactly the same, but the longer you carry it the heavier it feels. It's the same with a grudge - it can get so heavy it stops you from living.

People will hurt you; that's the reality of sharing this planet with others. Sometimes it's intentional, other times they've no idea they've upset you, far less broken your heart. Does that mean you should go around pretending nothing's wrong? No, the first step is to confront your feelings. And when the hurt is deep, it's even harder to forgive. That's when you need to pray. The Bible says, "Pray for those who mistreat you" (Lk 6:28 NIV). When you do that something unexpected happens; your heart softens and you start seeing them through God's eyes instead of your raw emotions. Jesus said, "If you have anything against someone, forgive - only then will your Heavenly Father.wipe your slate clean" (Mk 11:25 TM). When you sow unforgiveness you reap unforgiveness - even from God!

Isaac is a prime example of practising forgiveness. During a drought he dug wells that his enemies moved in and claimed. But instead of retaliating, he moved on and dug new ones. As a result God filled Isaac's empty wells and promised to bless him, and his children too! (See Ge 26:22-23). And He will fill the emptiness in your life, when you forgive those who have hurt you.

SoulFood Reading: 2 Ki 24-25, Lk 2:1-7, Ps 144:9-15, Pr 14:5-8