I am sharing a copy of another letter to a Christian who was expressing unforgiveness. Since these two letters are like book-ends, (though to two different people) I thought you might benefit from seeing them both. The names have been removed but they address questions I receive almost daily. If such questions have crossed your mind – though you have not written asking about the subjects – I do hope these two letters help you.
The Lord needs us now. We must get cleaned up and standing at attention ready to be called into action.
Dear Friend,
Even though you love the Lord, I feel the suffering coming through your letter. You are still in pain… pain all the way back to your childhood. That must be dreadful. I would suppose that such hidden pain, (silent and unseen) weighs you down – as well as blocks your nearness to God.
In order to taste the depths of God’s love, the barriers to that access must be removed. That is the reason our Lord shed His blood – to provide that access – that we and others – could be washed clean and stand before our Heavenly Father clothed in Christ’s righteousness.
False religions of the early days, as well as today, hold people in bondage by never allowing them to be rid of their mistakes, (and who of us does not make mistake after mistake while growing up physically and growing up in the Lord). The price Jesus paid to allow us to be washed with His blood and to be forgiven was radical in its day and is as radical in its lack of application today. God forgives. Recognize the error, ask to be forgiven and Jesus’ blood washes away what we Christians call “sin.” We get a clean slate.
My, oh my, how we need that clean slate daily. Well, guess what, so do others. God says to us that He sets us free but He wants to set others free, also.
Now why does He want this? It is because we are not free if we do not forgive from the heart. If we do not forgive, instead of being free, we actually tie those people to us. The more we add to that list of those we are unable to truly forgive, the more “baggage” we begin to drag with us. It weighs us down – it blocks us and hinders our greater access to our God. We are actually hindering ourselves from growing in God.
Now forgiveness, in many ways, comes from a change of perspective. All of us are growing up physically, mentally and (once born again) spiritually. In all three we start as babies. Being “born again” means you are a spiritual baby – and that baby must grow. This means that Christians are in varying stages of growth. They could be babies, children, teenagers or young adults, mature or wise in their spiritual lives.
Often we are shocked and hurt by a baby Christian – thinking that because that person is indeed a Christian, he or she should act in a certain way, immediately. We do not expect that physically or mentally of humans in the natural. We do not expect a new born to climb a set of stairs. That would be silly. We do not expect a baby to do math. That too, would be silly. But we do expect baby Christians to pass spiritual high school exams. When they do not act with maturity we are hurt – mainly due to our own expectations and standards. Actually, we have set them tests that are too high for them spiritually.
But beyond this, we chain them to us and hinder that other person’s growth in the Lord and our own growth. Of course we may for a time, blind others from seeing the unforgiveness within us, but beneath the surface it is still there gumming up our spiritual pipes and holding us both back from getting to or accomplishing our true desire – which is to draw nearer to our Heavenly Father.
Now – what do we do?
1. Realize that everyone is at a different stage of spiritual growth. Even if physically the person may be an adult, that person could be at any stage of spiritual growth; perhaps a baby. That is the reason the Bible says that we grow up into Christ. As a child you could not see this – but as an adult, you see more clearly – and, as I said before, with a mature perspective. In other words – now your perspective is different. Even adults can be forgiven for acting like spiritual teenagers because we do not truly understand where they are in their spiritual maturity.
2. God our Father says He forgives you as you forgive them. Why? Because as you mature to the place that you see every person is accountable to God alone, it is not up to you to hold them in bondage blocking the growth of you both – and notice that our Heavenly Father does – in this passage – say that your attitude is blocking you both. For that reason alone, you should want to embrace a new perspective and set them free – simply by forgiving them – and yourself for holding yourself in spiritual babyhood.
Dear friend, by being uninterested in the world and the things of the world, you are much more in God. Great! Rejoice!
When in the secret place however, do remember your brothers and sisters in Christ and His desire to raise up His bride and establish His Kingdom.
Intimacy with God is not just for ourselves. As with our Lord, He used His nearness to the Father to offer prayer for others. The word says that He ever lives to make intercession – not for Himself, but for us.
I hope this has been helpful. I see that you have a heart for God. May this help you clear out the road blocks, break the chains holding you to earth and allow you to soar.
In Him,
Anna
