Broken Pieces
Today while having a discussion with a very close friend
about forgiveness and the power of it, I received some mighty words of wisdom
and a very powerful picture lesson.
This is my interpretation
of her explanation;
She said that every time that we have an interaction with
someone and we take offence or are hurt we leave a piece of ourselves with that
person and many times go away from that relationship because of the pain with
unforgiveness in our hearts and we think everything is still OK. When in truth
we have a lot of little pieces of ourselves with all of the people that we have
not forgiven. The moment that we forgive each person those pieces of ourselves
are returned to us and this is how we become whole.
As she was explaining this analogy to me something amazing
happened. I began to see a visual picture of understanding of just how powerful
releasing others is to being a whole person. I loved this word picture.
I have always embraced the truth about forgiveness but this
picture added to the many instances that I have personally experienced the
power of releasing someone that has done you wrong. But something else was added to what she
shared as well, I began to understand what happens when someone else has
something against you and is holding a piece of you and refuses to let you go.
Now like everyone else I have forgiven many people not because
they deserved it or even because I felt it would make the situation better. I
forgave because I had a understanding of how bitterness can set in when we hold
un-forgiveness in our hearts and minds towards another one of Gods children. I
have done this to set myself free and to be able to love the way God says we as
his Sons and Daughters should respond.
During a specific incident I had an individual that was very
close to me refuse to forgive me for something she felt she was right about. I
had over a period of time released her in forgiveness and had asked her to
forgive me as well. She chose not to accept the gift I was offering and instead
made the conscious choice to continue to keep a piece of me. Our relationship that
was once very close was now estranged.
Even though we were not in constant contact I could feel
that there was something that was still holding me and I needed to make it
right. I am not into the practice of forcing anyone to do something against their free will. So I
began to pray and ask God to help this person to forgive me. It took almost 3
years but it happened.
I saw her at many
events but each time she avoided me and I could feel the pain of what she was
carrying and it made my heart sad. I wanted to be free from her un-forgiveness
so I continued to pray. Then one day while I was at a prayer event she walked
in through the door. Somehow I knew that that day she would forgive me.
During a special prayer time I was asked to pray for her by
one of the leaders and as I blessed her and spoke Gods word over her life
something happened. Later that day she came up to me and spoke a word of
blessing and release over my life and the piece of myself was returned to me.
Through this situation I began to understand not just the
power of me forgiving others, but also the power of receiving forgiveness from others.
These small pieces of myself can be used to torment and hold me
from being the person that God has always intended me to be.
I began to start to pray for anyone that was holding
anything against me in their hearts and minds.
I began to call back the pieces of myself that were being held hostage.
Then true freedom and the feeling of it started to flow my
way.
My prayer is that this visual explanation would touch your
life as well and that you would begin to call back all the pieces of yourself
into position so that you can become whole again
Forgive and be
forgiven and walk in the power of it.
