A Prayer to Experience the Freedom of Forgiveness - Your Daily Prayer - March 10
A Prayer to Experience the Freedom of Forgiveness
By: Emily Rose Massey
Bible Reading:
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, ESV).
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Although it was almost a decade ago now, it’s still fresh in my mind - the day that the man who murdered my father received his official guilty sentence: life in prison. He was sentenced to 60 years of his life, not free, but behind bars, given a great opportunity to think about his actions for the rest of his life on this earth. While many of my dad’s side of the family still don’t fully understand, I chose not to become involved in the pursuit of making sure that this man “paid for what he had done.”
There was much commotion and, to be quite frank, drama, via social media between family members over the course of a few days that resulted in hateful and bitter comments regarding events in my dad’s life that occurred decades ago- my parents’ divorce being one of them. My heart was heavy to think that, in the midst of such tragedy, people would choose to argue over issues they have no control over anymore, and, truthfully, no business being involved in whatsoever. The tragedy of losing my father actually paled in comparison to the unforgiveness and bitterness that surfaced between my family members.
Unforgiveness is bondage. It is a yoke that slowly tightens around our neck and chokes the life out of us. Bitterness is like a cancer that spreads throughout your whole body and affects you completely, and everything and everyone around you.
We are given many opportunities every single day to take the bait to become offended and hold grudges, but it is so important that we hold onto Jesus and His powerful Word- God’s perfect truth.
The Apostle Paul explains to us the freedom we find in Christ and urges us not to become entangled in sin in Galatians 5:1: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (ESV).
Although Paul is not specifically speaking of unforgiveness in this verse, we do know that unforgiveness is a sin that separates us from God.
Jesus explains to us at the end of the Lord’s Prayer: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15, NIV).
Allowing unforgiveness to hold you captive keeps you from fellowshipping with your Heavenly Father and keeps you from walking in total freedom that Jesus died for us to have. When He was crucified, and His blood poured out to accomplish God’s ultimate salvation plan for the world (John 3:16), our sins were thrown as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), and we no longer had to be slaves to sin- we were made free!
When we stand before God in prayer (and eventually at the end of this life here on earth), He sees what Jesus has done. He sees His Son’s precious blood, and the price that Jesus paid with His very life, just so that you and I could have a relationship with Our Heavenly Father through Christ.
So why would we deliberately choose bondage by allowing unforgiveness and bitterness to plague our hearts and hinder fellowship with God and the love of others?
I don’t know who you may need to forgive. I don’t know how deep the pain goes, how big or small the offense may be. I don’t know how long you have carried that burden with you, but I do know that you need to forgive, and you don’t have to do it in your own strength. God has given you the Holy Spirit to help you, to heal you, to change your heart. You are given the choice to make the move. You must choose to forgive. Don’t wait. Do it today. Do it right now. You will experience such great freedom that Jesus so passionately laid down His life for you to have.
Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father,
I come to you today first and foremost with a grateful heart that You would lavish Your mercy and love upon me, someone who has sinned against You, oh, Holy and righteous Creator God!
Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus, who stood in my place to die a death that I deserved so that I could be forgiven, justified, and restored back to You to now be called Your child. If I am holding onto unforgiveness against someone who has hurt me or gravely sinned against me, I repent and forgive that person immediately. I have no right to harbor unforgiveness against anyone, and as Your child, You call me to forgive others because I have been forgiven by You. I choose to obey You, no matter how difficult it may be for me. I trust Your Spirit will empower me to forgive and love others as You have forgiven and love me.
Help me heal from the wounds that may have been inflicted by others. I pray for their heart that they would walk in repentance and walk in forgiveness and know and trust You as I do.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
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Related Resource: When Life Unravels: Biblical Strategies for Hard Seasons
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