My mom died in 2017, but I’ve been joining her in Bible study sessions in the past few weeks. No...no...you read that right -- she died. Before she died, she established an entity called The Prayer Ministry and left over 1700 recordings of her teachings and prayers. For many years, she consistently prayed and taught on her prayer line at 5am every morning. She was so committed to her calling that she even had the strength and discipline to lead the prayer line at 5a the day after my father died -- "whew chile!!" Listening to the recordings not only gives me the opportunity to continue to hear her voice, but to also hear her heart. One of the lessons that I recently listened to (#371) was about the power and essentiality of forgiveness.
What really caught my attention from this teaching was the notion that when you don’t forgive, there is a chemical released in your body that induces a negative physical reaction. If you know me, you know I just had to look this up! :-) One article by Johns Hopkins Medicine cited increased levels of pain, cholesterol, blood pressure, and even a risk of heart of attack associated with harboring unforgiveness. Wow!!
So, the old saying is more powerful than you may realize. Unforgiveness actually does hurt you more than it hurts the “transgressor.” Excuse the vernacular but ---> lisseenn...you gotta’ learn to LET...IT...GO! If you didn't know before, now you know that your life literally depends on it!
By faith, believe that God’s Word is true when it explains that God has given you His Spirit which is one of power, love, and a sound mind (peace, discipline, and self-control). As my mom taught me, His Spirit gives you a divine ability to love -- especially those who have transgressed against you. I know -- that’s a difficult concept to unpack, especially when you feel engulfed in anger...BUT trust me, you’ll be glad you forgave.
If you’re not sure where to start, begin with a recommendation that my former Pastor, Dr. Jomo Cousins, once shared. He said, “Make an appointment with God and keep it.” Consistently pray for help in this area and lock arms with an accountability partner (i.e. a friend, counselor, coach, etc.) to walk this journey with you.
The healing, freedom, and restoration that you’ll receive is greater than the impact of resentment that you thought was holding the other person captive. Release and let it go so that your healing can truly begin and you can live richly every day.
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