Tammy Tangent Tuesdays

~ Forgiveness ~

Hello Beautiful, I pray you’re having a blessed week!  It’s that time again, it’s Tammy Tangent Tuesdays!  This might prove to sound simple enough, but this week’s challenge might require more than time; it will require releasing the key to our hearts so healing can begin.  It’s time for forgiveness!!!  Time to start tearing those walls down or at least thwart construction.

Whether we realize it or not, we all have barriers constructed around our hearts due to rejection, abandonment, unfulfilled expectations, past hurts, etc.  It is time we stop depositing into the account that operates the channels of reliving those past hurts that not only torture our tender hearts, but richly employ that construction crew working in our brains and around our hearts before our walls get so high, no one will be allowed in.  Sadly, it also keeps us from experiencing the love that we keep pushing away.  Just think how empowering it will be when we no longer are bound and held captive behind our walls of pain and deceit.  The freedom in the quietness that the forgiveness brings unleashes this atmosphere for healing and peace, positioning us to receive God’s unmerited grace. Coming from a girl who’s high maintenance in the daily need of rescuing and forgiveness in the grace department herself, I share these same struggles!

God did not design us to just sit idly in our pews of inheritance while being adopted members into the family of Christ, He designed and gifted us to go out and shine in a dark world while bestowing blessings on others through service!  This is so hard to do, if not impossible, when we have hidden hurts in our hearts which keep us isolated from healthy relationships and/or exploring new ones because of this invisible barrier that has been constructed as a source of protection. The amount of time we focus reliving the hurts afflicted by others, we could have cooked and served and cleaned up an entire Thanksgiving meal to everyone in our city!  Yes, we spend way too much time entertaining our own pity parties instead of hosting productive ones.

Right now I am personally trying to understand why I am having a hard time letting the actions of other people’s judgment and condemnation to gnaw and leech on and trigger a reaction in my own life that is robbing me of peace, joy and gratitude.  Obviously, I need to spend more time on my knees repenting while humbly finding out the resistance to forgive.  It’s hard to do, but this sort of thing brings division and robs so many of us of the blessings that should have developed!

I am relying on the constant meditation, or trying to, of Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) that says, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”  That scripture includes whether you had an argument with your spouse, your boss, your kids, or your church family, we need to forgive whether we want to or not.  This frees us from the damaging effects and helps us plow through the mud and the muck much easier and joyful.

If we are supposed to have our brothers and sisters’ backs, when we’re wrapped up in the bondage of unforgiveness, which is sin, it makes it hard to love and be loved.  Forgiveness just means forgiving the other person so it releases “you” from the deadly effects that the bitterness and anger develops, along with the insecurities that develop because your bleeding heart becomes raw from the constant affliction.  It doesn’t mean you have to accept the actions of others or even allow them to be a part of your life, it just releases you from the bondage that is holding you captive in the cell of isolation and fear due to your unwillingness to let go.  Forgiveness is the key to plowing towards the Promised Land that is full of golden nuggets that are used as stepping stones to bring you to that opened door for further blessings.  If we don’t forgive, we can’t love; if we don’t love, we can’t be loved!

I don’t know about you, Beloved, but I’m seeking refuge in the arms of Jesus so He can rescue, forgive, and transform my heart and soul while delivering His empowering grace of tender mercies.  This way my service will bring God glory through the unity of community, while coming into alignment together, in one place with one common purpose, while we’re together!  I pray we all claim and receive victory this week in forgiveness!

Have a blessed and forgiving week, Beautiful! 

Thank you for being Beautiful You!