Broken Pieces

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.