Is this where we find ourself each day?\u00a0\u00a0 Is our life haunting us?\u00a0 Sometimes no matter where we are today, our past, our yesterdays or our years ago seem to crop up in our thoughts and sometimes in our actions because we never truly dealt with the \u201cburdens of unforgiveness\u201d that are buried in the crevices of our heart. The memories are always near the surface.<\/p>\n
Do you know what the word burden means?\u00a0 Websters defines it as something that is carried, a load, something oppressive or worrisome.\u00a0\u00a0 Priscilla describes it on Pg. 137 as something that weighs you down, it sits on you, restricts you from enjoying the new phases\/freedoms that each season of life brings your way.<\/p>\n
This is exactly what unforgiveness does in our life.\u00a0 It brings a burden upon us. It forces us to stay one dimensional.\u00a0 It keeps us repeating the same things round and round in circles and never allows us to move past \u201cthat place\u201d because we can\u2019t or won\u2019t get rid of unforgiveness within us.<\/p>\n
Why do we want to hold on to unforgiveness? \u00a0\u00a0Is it because we still want others to know we haven\u2019t forgotten the hurt they caused us?\u00a0 I don\u2019t know the answer to that question for everyone but each of us could answer it for ourselves.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe part of the reason is pride, maybe we feel if we forgive that person we are saying that person had the right to do wrong to me.\u00a0 Does that really matter anymore? Don\u2019t we want freedom from it?\u00a0 After all we are the ones who are miserable from it not them.<\/p>\n
Our lesson today has taught us three ways that forgiveness is reached through a combination of actions:<\/p>\n
I want to expand a little more on why we should forgive.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Let\u2019s FORGIVE and leave all the rest to God to deal with.<\/p>\n Instead of continuing to re-hash old wounds\/old hurts, \u00a0instead of going around in circles let\u2019s come full circle and do as God\u2019s Word instructs us:<\/p>\n Colossians 3:13 \u201cJust as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.<\/p>\n We learned in this lesson that being a woman resolved to forgive can do the following:\u00a0 save friendships, rescue marriages, restore relationships, rebuild lives, refurbish businesses, help us to regain our very own self, allow us to live FREELY, LOVINGLY and WITH JOY!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 — This is the mission of this resolution, this is its purpose, for us to offer and extend \u201cforgiveness\u201d just as He has so wonderfully, abundantly and outlandishly poured out \u201cforgiveness\u201d for each of us.<\/p>\n *****Let\u2019s resolve to be forgiven as well as forgive<\/em>*****<\/p>\n Your assignment:<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 As you move forward with answering the questions in your study on Pg. 143 to be able to sign your resolution for this week \u2013 please take note that this is a journey that may take time and some counsel even \u2013 be willing to seek help so you fully understand and experience the benefits that \u201cforgiveness\u201d<\/em> is designed to give and when you are ready (prayed up and committed) sign your name in the resolution box.<\/p>\n Let’s Pray: \u00a0 Thank you Lord for your special gift of “forgiveness”, help us not to continue going in circles in this path of unforgiveness but help us to release all that we are holding onto so we can begin to experience the freedom that “forgiveness”<\/em> \u00a0brings.<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s time to go back to your Facebook Online Bible Study Group to see what your Daily Activity is!!\u00a0 I\u2019m guessing it\u2019s going to be a fun one!!\u00a0 If you are not currently in one our FB OBS Groups, and would like to be, please send an email to:\u00a0 GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com, and we\u2019ll be glad to add you!!<\/em><\/p>\n\n
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