Forgive with His Love

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26, NIV).

Do you hurt over something that you feel a friend has done to you? Perhaps it wasn't intentional, but you are convinced that it was. Whether intentional or not, you hurt because of it. Don't allow anger and bitterness to fester and grow. Don't harden your heart, and close the door to the Holy Spirit. Don't isolate yourself in your pain and feelings of rejection. If you close the door of your heart, it will only grow harder. If this person has been a friend for a long time, it is a good possibility that what has happened was not intentional, and your friend might not even be aware of what is going on. It is the enemy's purpose to divide the body of Christ‒to tear apart what the Holy Spirit is trying to build. The enemy wants to destroy your relationships and your life. Don't let him erect walls that imprison you. Fight isolation with the freedom the Holy Spirit empowers. Be free to ask why. Be free to seek answers. Be free from the bondage of isolation by reaching out in love and not in anger and bitterness.

When you ask your friend about what has hurt you, give them the benefit of the doubt. Let them know how you feel quietly. Don't accuse. If you put someone on the defensive, they will not listen to your concerns. Anger may rise up. But if you go in the love of Christ, and listen with an open heart, constructive healing can begin. Understanding can set both of you free. You may even discover another reason for what has happened‒one that you had not even considered. If you go in love, perhaps your friend, who may not have even realized what an action or a word did to you, will seek your forgiveness.

Above all else, forgive, even if the friend who has hurt you does not seek your forgiveness. Unforgiveness only keeps you in bondage to your emotional pain. Allow forgiveness to set you free. The Lord will remove your stony heart which has been hardened from pain and isolation, and will give you a heart that is pliable and soft in His hands. Where His Spirit flows, there is freedom. Allow Him to flow always and keep your heart spiritually soft. Live in the freedom and fullness of His Spirit so that you can forgive no matter what happens. God will bring continuous victory, and the enemy will be forever defeated. You will be like a well-watered garden in the dry places of life‒full of the life-giving power and fruit of the Holy Spirit.