How To Forgive & Remove Thorns From Your Heart

It will happen sooner or later. And it will most likely happen more than once during our lifetimes. At some point we will all be hurt, and sometimes wounded so badly that it feels like there’s just no getting over it. Learning how to forgive offenses and offenders is one of those life skills each of us must acquire.

Even as hard as moving past those inexcusable offenses can be, there’s something even more difficult we have to deal with, and that’s ourselves. How are we going to respond to the unjust, the hurtful, the downright evil?

“How To Forgive and Remove Thorns From You Heart” via @Cathy_Bryant
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How To Forgive – God’s Way Over Ours

You would think we’d want to let go of our hurt as soon as possible, but most of the time our human side doesn’t want to let go of the wrong committed against us. The thorns of offense dig under our flesh, buried beneath layers of soft tissue. And the longer we let those thorns remain, the more festered, calloused, and unforgiving we become.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.  Ephesians 4:32

Yes, God’s alternative requires much from us, and it often seems unfair in light of all we’ve suffered. It requires moving past both the offense and the offender, handing our grievances over to God, and trusting Him to handle it in a much better way than we ever could.

It also means yanking out those thorns before the hurt grows worse. Sometimes in this process we uncover more thorns than we originally anticipated.

But once the thorn removal is finished, we have a pleasant surprise awaiting–the beautiful and fragrant rose of the Lord’s peace and healing for our damaged emotions.

The Cost of Not Forgiving

That’s the sad thing about grudges, isn’t it? As we grasp tightly to those thorns, we’re only hurting ourselves. To make matters worse, the sharp barbs cause collateral damage, the prickly points of resentment and bitterness shooting up like weeds, affecting everyone with whom we come in contact.

It’s only as we let go of the thorns that we’re able to once more experience peace, joy, love, gladness . . . and the delight of our fellowship with Christ.

You see, until we’re willing to walk the path of Jesus, to join Him in saying with all sincerity “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing,” our relationship with Him and the Father are stalled. Here’s why.

While we were at our most unlovely, the very enemies of God, Jesus forgave us everything. He took those thorns and sharp barbs so we wouldn’t have to. In light of all He’s done for us, how can we then turn around and demand retribution from our enemies?

Other than prayer, the best way I know of releasing the thorns is to remember this: God will never ask us to forgive others anymore than what He’s already forgiven us.

So let’s leave the thorns behind and reach for the Rose instead.

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Books on Forgiveness
A frightened runaway’s plans to hideaway are derailed when she co-inherits her grandfather’s farm with the man responsible for the scars on her heart. PURCHASE FROM AMAZON.* (Free for Kindle Unlimited)
How do we move past emotional pain to a place of forgiveness? This Bible study examines relevant scriptures for the purpose of building a Biblical understanding of forgiveness. PURCHASE FROM AMAZON.* (Free for Kindle Unlimited)
BUY BOTH AND SAVE (Kindle format only). This digital bundle contains A BRIDGE UNBROKEN & companion Bible study THE FRAGRANCE OF CRUSHED VIOLETS. PURCHASE FROM AMAZON.* (Free for Kindle Unlimited)