Acquiring the ability to forgive has been a challenge from the beginning of time as we know it. There is a particular situation in my life which I've struggled with. Well, this past Tuesday my pastor shared something and BAM! I had one of those glorious lightbulb moments.
We know we need to forgive to heal and grow, to obey God-but how the heck do you do it when you just don't want to? How can you choose to forgive someone in your heart when you're still wounded? When they haven't changed?
Recognize your enemy.
Your enemy is not the person that hurt you.
Your enemy is NOT the individual that hurt you.
Your enemy is the one who came to steal, kill and destroy. Whether the one who hurt you stole your childhood, killed your dreams or destroyed your family-understand that the source of those actions lies in Satan.
Am I absolving the person of responsibility or justifying their actions? No. We just need to understand that when division and strife come they come from the enemy. He twisted the situation to fit his purposes.
We need to submit those situation, that pain and anger to God so that He can turn what was meant for evil into good. But as long as we hold on to bitterness and anger we are allowing Satan a stronghold in our lives. We should flee from evil and chase after righteousness. God gave us life that we might live abundantly! (John 10:10)
When you struggle with pain and hurt from others-recognize who is really attacking you. How can you fight an enemy until you know who it is or how they operate? We operate on a spiritual level and thus must fight on a spiritual level. (Eph. 6)
Now that we know where our battlefield is we can equip ourselves and be victorious by the power of God in our lives!
