Forgiveness

Forgiveness

R.T. Kendall made the following statement: " you have to forgive completely. Until you completely forgive, you will be in shackles. Set them free and you shall become free." (Kendall R.T. Total Forgiveness, 2010:1)

When we are thinking and talking about forgiveness you might say to me, "But Yvette, he cheated on me!" or "She keeps the kids from me and makes it impossible to have a good relationship with my children." I agree with you! Life is not all sunshine and butterflies. Life throughs us many curveballs, and it is not fun jumping all the hurdles. 

Forgiveness is not a get out of jail free card. It is not a way to make the offender feel better about what they did to you. It is not about consequence. It is about YOU! By forgiving a person does not give them power over you, it is quite the opposite. You are taking back the power and control that you gave them by harbouring a bitterroot. 

What is a bitterroot? it is the anger and bitterness that we all harbour in our hearts. It is that thing that drives you to being unreasonable and abnormally agitated with people (normally close to us) The signs are:

• Anger and agility
• Swearing and cussing
• Purposefully causing pain

This is normally very uncomfortable to acknowledge in ourselves, but we all have it to some degree. "so does it mean I have to rise above? why is it always me that has to rise above and be the better person?" you might ask. NO!!!! it is not about that. It is bout looking after yourself. Being kind to yourself. Science shows that unforgivenes can have a negative impact on your health and can keep you from reaching your goals and potential. Pastor Jerry Lock said in a sermon "The moment I started to hate a man I become his slave. The man I hate haunts me wherever I go." I whole heartedly agree with this statement.