The Self-Destruct Button Called Unforgiveness

I don’t know what has been troubling your mind in the past, but I am glad you found this article. Many people have health issues not because they are on a bad diet, or experiencing bad weather, but because they have allowed unforgiveness to eat deep into their soul that their body becomes too weak to fight health problems.

Matthew 18:23-35 “23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24) And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25) But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26) The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27) Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28) But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

29) And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

30) And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31) So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

32) Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33) Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35) So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. ”

The above scripture shows us the adverse effect of unforgiveness; we get turned over to the tormentors. You are killing yourself even more if you allow hateful thoughts towards another person to thrive in your heart and head.

The self-destruct button
Unforgiveness is a self-destruct button that can destroy not just itself, but everyone who holds on dearly to it. You need to understand that when you forgive the person who hurt you are helping yourself more than the person. In essence, you are doing yourself more favor than the person who has offended you. Jesus Christ knows the importance of forgiveness, and the limitations unforgiveness can bring to your life; that is why He stated that we should always forgive.

I know it may seem unfair for you to show unforgiveness, but when you truly forgive, you let go of the burden holding you back. Joyce Meyer rightly said in one of her unforgiveness teachings that unforgiveness is a poison. It is a poison you drink thinking you are hurting the offender not knowing you are killing yourself.

Let me assure you when you let go of hurtful past, and decide to forgive, you become happier; you feel lighter, and you will be able to achieve what you could not do before. In our previous teachings, we talked about obedience. If you love God, you will obey His commandment. Forgiveness is part of the commandment. When we forgive, we are not only helping ourselves, but also we are obeying the word of God. Also, when we choose to forgive, God takes care of the rest-Mark 11:22- 26.

When we hang on to the past, to the hate, sad experiences we had with someone, we are unknowingly hindering our faith from working. God cannot forgive our sins if we do not forgive other people. In the Kingdom, you reap what you soul- if you are entitled to forgiveness if you forgive your offender(s), you obtain mercy, when you are merciful to your neighbors. So, if you want anything from heaven, ensure you are doing the same to people around you.

Benefits of forgiveness
There are many benefits you get for forgiving the people around you, but one of the best benefits is the sweet fellowship you have with your Maker.

Unforgiveness blocks you from fellowshipping with God.
Secondly, when you forgive you stop Satan from taking advantage over you- 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, Ephesians 4:26-27

Do not give the devil any chance to torment you, be quick to forgive because the devil takes advantages of our anger and bitterness.

Three practical steps to forgiveness
If you are tired of torturing yourself or allowing the devil to torment you, then check out the five practical steps you can take to free yourself from the shackles of unforgiveness.

Make a conscious decision to forgive
If you are waiting for the baptism of the power to forgive to fall upon you, then you will be waiting forever. You need to take a conscious decision to forgive Mr A for doing this and that to you. And guess what? As you make the decision to forgive, our God who is our Maker will heal your wounded emotions in time.-Matthew 6:12-14

Seek the help of the Holy Spirit
The reason many people find forgiveness challenging is because they go about by themselves.

Taking the forgiving path is a difficult path to take on your own; you need the power of the Holy Spirit to enable you. The first step to forgiveness to take the decision, the next step is to ask for help; the Holy Spirit is our guide, He shows us what to do, how to do it per time. But you have to ask, you need to believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. John 20:22-23

In your quiet time, go ahead cry if you must, let your heart out, tell Him where it hurts, He is our comforter… but do not dwell on it for too long. When you are done, ask for Help; tell Him to give you the strength to pull through. I have come to understand that pain does not last; we dwell on it for so long that it becomes part of us. The good news is, the Comforter is here to heal us from all painful memories.

Obedience
One of the reasons you need to forgive is because we are commanded to do so if you love God as you claimed, then you have no option but to forgive your enemies. Now you are not doing it for them, but your health, and for love, you have for your heavenly Father. Luke 6:27-28 “27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” the word of God admonishes us to pray for their happiness and welfare of the people around you, including your offenders.

One of the benefits of your prayers for them according to Joyce Meyer is that God can give them the revelation that will bring them out of deception. The truth is, they may not even know they are hurting you or so self-absorbed that they do not care if they are bothering you or not. Your prayers will give them the revelation that they need to transform into a better person.

Hindrances to true forgiveness
Romans 12:14 “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not” the verse shows us how to forgive there is no point trying to forgive your enemies if you keep speaking ill of them to anyone who cares to listen. If you find yourself gossiping about your offenders, it means you are not ready to let go of the past.

“You don’t understand what I have been through, you don’t know how much I trusted them, but they stabbed me in the back”. I may not understand your story, but one thing I am sure is, vengeance is for God; do not try to do His work, He will handle it, all you have to do is make peace with yourself, and move on. Proverbs 17:9 “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.”

Are there exemptions to the people we forgive?
In the Holy Scripture, there was never a verse where Jesus Christ, who we should emulate showed us who to forgive, what to forgive, who not to forgive and what not to forgive. He came to die for ALL, not some, not many, but ALL. As a child of God, you have freely received salvation, and you are expected to extend this gift to the people around you freely. Matthew 10:8 “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”

In conclusion, you may be angry with God because your life didn’t pan out the way you anticipated, but be assured that He is just, and He loves you unconditionally. You may not understand why things are going the way they shouldn’t, but you have to trust God… He’s got you covered. Make the decision to forgive, ask for help from the Holy Spirit, and obey His words, and everything will be fine.

Encourage Yourself In The Lord: Lastly, Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”watch what you allow to grow in your heart. Allowing unforgiveness to thrive in your heart is to allow filth in your home, and once your home is filled with dirt, you give room for sicknesses and diseases. So stay clean; use the water of God’s words to forgive and stay clean.

You owe it to yourself to forgive and ask for forgiveness. It’s a matter of life and death.