Forgiveness by Minister Owen Mitchell

What affects your spiritual walk the most? This question was laid on my heart a couple day ago and I posed it to the team.

After thinking extensively on this question, I realize that forgiveness is my pet-peeve. Forgiveness or unforgiveness affects all aspects of a Christian’s walk, secularly or spiritually. It is extremely difficult to totally forgive someone who has wronged us. Ephesian 4:32, “and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Forgiving is an act of releasing resentment. It is a decision to cancel debt and any wrongdoing that targeted us. Forgiving is not forgetting, it’s not a denial of pain nor a restoration of trust but an act of obedience. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” Matthew 6:12. This in the Greek comes from the word aphiemi meaning letting go. Unforgiveness has placed us in prison but forgiveness releases us. This supernatural action opens prison doors and frees us from bondage. An action that’s caused by God’s grace and His love towards us.

Unforgiveness is an act of sin. It ultimately blocks fellowship with God; it fosters bitterness and is described as a poison to the soul. It acts as a root of bitterness (Hebrew 12:15) and hinders our prayer life. I pray we search our lives today and ask God to show us where there is unforgiveness, so we can repent totally and be free.

God Bless.