Steps to Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the central truth of the Gospel. When we begin to fathom the love of our Heavenly Father, our gratitude will pave the way to the forgiveness of others. It's time to take a heart inventory.

I once heard a Christian neuroscientist explain the impact of unforgiveness on the brain. She explained the neuro-pathway process and how unforgiveness showed up in MRIs as actual black areas that were, in essence, dead. Even secular therapists and scientists acknowledge that unforgiveness leaves an impact on the body. Unforgiveness impacts us spiritually, physically, and emotionally. We cannot compartmentalize unforgiveness. It touches every part of our lives. When we choose not to forgive, we choose to remain captive.

Forgiveness is the key to unlocking your freedom–the freedom to worship more fully, to become a better parent, to manage your finances more wisely, to hear the Holy Spirit more clearly, and to laugh without fear of the future. The world tells us to "follow our hearts," promoting the chasing of our own emotions over the stability of God's Word and His plan.

We're at the end of our five days together, and we've read about the Scriptural requirement of forgiveness, the impact on our lives, and the impact on our bodies. And now, for the hard part. It's time to forgive. If you chose this devotional and have made it to day five, you already know that forgiveness is an issue in your life. The hardest part has likely been releasing the pain, the tears, the grief, the need to be right, the unfairness, and the desire for revenge. This is the power of the Cross. Your obedience to release this unforgiveness will give the Lord access to every crevice of your soul–intricately repairing old, bleeding heart wounds and rewriting a story of beauty where the ashes once lay.

Today, you will forgive your children for the disappointment. You will forgive your ex for the abuse. You will forgive your parents for the pain they caused. You will forgive those who made hurtful comments, issued harsh criticism, and betrayed your trust. You will forgive old bosses, coworkers, and family members. You will release the pain of childhood abuse—it no longer serves you.

Take the time today, alone with the Holy Spirit, to list those who need forgiveness from you. A simple prayer prayed of, "Holy Spirit, search my heart. Let no unclean thing remain." You will be surprised at His faithfulness to reveal old wounds you "thought were forgiven." Write them down. Pray aloud, "Father, today, I choose forgiveness. I choose it 70 x 7. I choose to relinquish the pain. It does not serve me. I honor you today with this choice. Heal it as only you could. I release (insert name here) to you. Amen."

Points to Ponder:

Looking for more information on forgiveness?

• Check out The Life of a Single Mom's YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeofasinglemom/videos.
• Enroll in Single Mom University® for free! As your gift for having completed your 5-day devotional, you can get access to 175 online life skills classes for one year. Simply visit www.SingleMomUniversity.com and click apply for the scholarship using coupon code YouVersion.