From now on, I'll be putting up certain topics and also tie it in to my own experiences along with bible verses and etc. Hope it encourages and convicts you! :)
TOPIC: Forgiveness
You told your friend a secret and she swore upon her life that she wouldn't tell anyone. But one day she was dared to post up a secret about you on a public blog where all the kids can see the posts. You find out about it and you get pissed off! What's even worse is that your friend doesn't feel bad about revealing your secret to the world. You break this friendship with her and determine that you will never ever forgive her for what she did to you.
Forgiveness. It's easy to say but the HARDEST thing to do. I'm pretty sure all of you have been a victim or have been the person to reveal the secret in a situation like this. I've had to ask for forgiveness and even asking for forgiveness was a hard thing to do.
In Matthew 18:22, it says, "Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Jesus is basically telling us to forgive every time! Not only that, in Matthew 18:35, it says, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." Not only is Jesus telling you to forgive every time but with a sincere heart too!
Wow, that's pretty hardcore, isn't it? But check this out, God can only forgive you of your sins if you forgive others for the wrongdoings that they committed onto you. You MUST forgive others so that you can be forgiven for all your sins.
At a youth group winter retreat last December, Pastor Hwang (our senior pastor) spoke on the first and only night that he was to speak. He told both the parents and the children that everything that has happened in 2009 will be forgotten and in 2010, you'll start on a brand new slate with a pure heart (paraphrasing).
That's exactly what many of us should do. Let go of your past because you need to focus on the present in order to fulfill God's will and be successful in the future. Letting go of your past includes forgiving those who hurt you. It also means that you need to pray for your enemies or those who hurt you so that they may be redeemed and become a changed and more Christ-like person just like yourself.
I'm an older sister to a younger brother who's in the second semester of junior year, 16 years old- 17 in May. We have both gotten into arguments (verbal more than physical) and there have been times when I got blamed for something that I didn't do by my parents. During those times, I had hatred in my heart towards him and told myself that I wouldn't ever forgive him for getting me into trouble. I didn't even think that I needed forgiveness from him for bashing on him during our arguments. Through the winter retreat, I was able to ask my brother for forgiveness as I cried and hugged him. All he did was to hug me and pat me on the back saying, "It's okay Sarah, it's okay." That night, I was able to let go of all the arguments I had with him. Although we still argue from time to time, our relationship has always been great. I've realized that I have to stop saying stupid things that aren't true to my brother.
This big burden came off of my heart and I was set free because I had asked someone for forgiveness, whom I loved. Don't you want that sense of your chains breaking apart and let God work inside of you?
Forgiving is hard but I challenge you to reflect on your list of family, friends, classmates, and see if you need to forgive anyone or if you need to be forgiven by someone. That doesn't mean that after they forgive you or vice versa, that you keep on holding a grudge against that person because it says to forgive each with sincerity.
In Karen Kingsbury's novel, "Oceans Apart" the story is about forgiveness and second chances. The one quote that really stuck out to me, even when typing this blog entry is the one said by the little boy:
"Love happens when you forgive." =)
TOPIC: Forgiveness
You told your friend a secret and she swore upon her life that she wouldn't tell anyone. But one day she was dared to post up a secret about you on a public blog where all the kids can see the posts. You find out about it and you get pissed off! What's even worse is that your friend doesn't feel bad about revealing your secret to the world. You break this friendship with her and determine that you will never ever forgive her for what she did to you.
Forgiveness. It's easy to say but the HARDEST thing to do. I'm pretty sure all of you have been a victim or have been the person to reveal the secret in a situation like this. I've had to ask for forgiveness and even asking for forgiveness was a hard thing to do.
In Matthew 18:22, it says, "Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Jesus is basically telling us to forgive every time! Not only that, in Matthew 18:35, it says, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." Not only is Jesus telling you to forgive every time but with a sincere heart too!
Wow, that's pretty hardcore, isn't it? But check this out, God can only forgive you of your sins if you forgive others for the wrongdoings that they committed onto you. You MUST forgive others so that you can be forgiven for all your sins.
At a youth group winter retreat last December, Pastor Hwang (our senior pastor) spoke on the first and only night that he was to speak. He told both the parents and the children that everything that has happened in 2009 will be forgotten and in 2010, you'll start on a brand new slate with a pure heart (paraphrasing).
That's exactly what many of us should do. Let go of your past because you need to focus on the present in order to fulfill God's will and be successful in the future. Letting go of your past includes forgiving those who hurt you. It also means that you need to pray for your enemies or those who hurt you so that they may be redeemed and become a changed and more Christ-like person just like yourself.
I'm an older sister to a younger brother who's in the second semester of junior year, 16 years old- 17 in May. We have both gotten into arguments (verbal more than physical) and there have been times when I got blamed for something that I didn't do by my parents. During those times, I had hatred in my heart towards him and told myself that I wouldn't ever forgive him for getting me into trouble. I didn't even think that I needed forgiveness from him for bashing on him during our arguments. Through the winter retreat, I was able to ask my brother for forgiveness as I cried and hugged him. All he did was to hug me and pat me on the back saying, "It's okay Sarah, it's okay." That night, I was able to let go of all the arguments I had with him. Although we still argue from time to time, our relationship has always been great. I've realized that I have to stop saying stupid things that aren't true to my brother.
This big burden came off of my heart and I was set free because I had asked someone for forgiveness, whom I loved. Don't you want that sense of your chains breaking apart and let God work inside of you?
Forgiving is hard but I challenge you to reflect on your list of family, friends, classmates, and see if you need to forgive anyone or if you need to be forgiven by someone. That doesn't mean that after they forgive you or vice versa, that you keep on holding a grudge against that person because it says to forgive each with sincerity.
In Karen Kingsbury's novel, "Oceans Apart" the story is about forgiveness and second chances. The one quote that really stuck out to me, even when typing this blog entry is the one said by the little boy:
"Love happens when you forgive." =)
I really like this one Sarah. I'm encountering this problem some what,but forgiveness sort of seems easier when you can see both points of views, or put yourself in the other person's shoes. Even if the person has really hurt you and is deceptive, etc it does no one any good(especially your own conscience) to hold onto guilt or hurt.
Posted by: Teresa | 26 January 2010 at 06:49 PM
I'm glad you find this helpful? Haha but try to continually blog and also check my blog for more of these entries. Hopefully I'll be able to do one each fay :) stay strong and optimistic! :)
Posted by: Sarah Stacey~ | 26 January 2010 at 07:36 PM