Turning the Other Cheek and Forgiveness by Shalene

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. Matthew 5:38-39 NKJV

Have you ever felt wronged by someone, and had difficulty allowing the transgression to go, and forgive the person? Has their words or their actions wounded you so deeply, that you felt unable to forgive? Have you ever been certain that the harm they did was intentional, only to learn later that it was not? I've been in this position a time or two, and seen it even. It's hard to know what to say to someone when you know what they're feeling. It sounds so trite to say, "Forgive and let it go. It's not worth it." But Jesus tells us the same thing, in His Holy Word.

Though it was once said, and eye for an eye, love teaches us to forgive. God is love. To be a true Christ follower, you cannot allow the deceiver to speak lies into your life and to fill you with hatred or even condemnation. We are to love our enemies.

For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 1 Peter 2:19-23 NJKV

And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots. Luke 23:33-34 NKJV

Dr Larry Nims PhD of The BSFF Everyday Freedom eMagazine has this to say about unforgiveness:

Consider these consequences of judgment, criticism and unforgiveness.
1. We continue to feel the psychological pain of the perceived offense.
2. We block healthy communication and potential reconciliation with the "offender".
3. We perceive similar offenses by others who remind us of the offender.
4. We attract similar situations, people and injuries to ourselves.
5. We give up our personal power to others to determine how we will feel and respond (actually, we "react") in similar situations.
6. We render ourselves incapable of ever really knowing, and learning from, the full truth about the event that damaged the relationship.
7. We take added toxic negativity into our present relationships.
8. We isolate/prevent/avoid/limit ourselves from having new, more healthy, and more fulfilling relationships.
9. We become vulnerable to becoming spiteful, resentful and bitter.
10. We disrespect, distrust and devalue ourselves at deep levels of our psyches.
11. We block ourselves spiritually from receiving help and healing from our Higher Source.
12. Our own spirits and souls "shrivel up" (contract) more and more.
Most counselors could probably add several more items to this "dirty dozen"

So for those of you that have suffered from unforgiveness in your lives, I put forth my "trite" advice again: Let go and forgive. It's for your own good. My prayers are with you, and may God's blessings be upon you.

--Lord, today I pray that if there be any unforgiveness in my heart, that you help me to see it, and you help me to let it go. That you teach me to forgive others, even as you forgave me. Nothing anyone on this earth could do to me, could be worse than what I do to you everyday that I don't live as you lived. I pray this in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen



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