CGM Presents: In the Word Podcast

Episode 10, "Hope and Forgiveness" Series 8: Hope Beyond Brokenness

September 21, 2021 Stephanie Wright Season 8 Episode 10
CGM Presents: In the Word Podcast
Episode 10, "Hope and Forgiveness" Series 8: Hope Beyond Brokenness
Show Notes Transcript

Hello and welcome to Episode 10, of “Hope Beyond Brokenness.” Today we are going to explore the link between hope and forgiveness.

 During our study on “Hope Beyond Brokenness” I asked myself the question: Does forgiveness -or unforgiveness-affect or have an impact on hope? So, naturally, I Googled the question and found there had actually been research done on the topic which said “yes” forgiveness can affect hope. Now, that’s what scientists discovered and I thought that was interesting from a scientific perspective. However, I wanted to consider what the Bible said about how forgiving someone can positively impact hope or conversely not forgiving can negatively impact hope. My name is Stephanie Wright. Let’s explore this topic.

If you would like to share your story of hope beyond brokenness email us at cgmpresents@gmail.com. We can be reached on Facebook at CGM Podcast International and our handle for Twitter and Instagram is @cgmissions, and  for YouTube is cgmissions. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations may be sent through CashApp to: $cgmissions

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Hello and welcome to Episode 10, of “Hope Beyond Brokenness.” Today we are going to explore the link between hope and forgiveness.

 During our study on “Hope Beyond Brokenness” I asked myself the question: Does forgiveness -or unforgiveness-affect or have an impact on hope? So, naturally, I Googled the question and found there had actually been research done on the topic which said “yes” forgiveness can affect hope. Now, that’s what scientists discovered and I thought that was interesting from a scientific perspective. However, I wanted to consider what the Bible said about how forgiving someone can positively impact hope or conversely not forgiving can negatively impact hope. My name is Stephanie Wright. Let’s explore this topic.

 How to Forgive

Let’s start this discussion with the act of forgiving.

It’s easy to tell someone to forgive. The problem is the person telling someone to forgive doesn’t tell them how to forgive. They usually say, “Just get over it.” Well, that’s no answer! Furthermore, the person who says, “Just get over it,” usually isn’t “over it” concerning a lot of things in their own life. So, before we tell someone to forgive or “get over it,” we should be sure we have forgiven and I mean truly forgiven and forgiven everybody. Yep, that’s what I said, “forgiven everybody.” So, how do you do that from a biblical perspective?

 You know me, I believe in telling you of at least some of my shortcomings because confession is good for the soul. It took me more than 40 years to finally truly forgive someone who had “broken” me down to the depths of my very soul. Now, don’t judge me before you search yourself. How many years have you been holding a grudge or unforgiveness against someone? And whether you want to admit or not, if you are still holding on to unforgiveness, something in you is broken. Okay, back to my case.

So, how did I finally forgive and learn how to keep on forgiving? I saw the hurt in this person’s eyes when I brought up what they had done to me more than 40 years ago. It was then, I realized how sorry they were for what had happened. They had already apologized but I guess I chose to harbor unforgiveness against them despite their apology. Well, seeing the hurt they felt brought me into condemnation for my unforgiveness. I believe I just wanted them to hurt the way they had hurt me. Now, how Christ-like was that! Oh sure, I said I forgave them and I really think I had, but clearly if I am still bringing up what they did, well, I may have thought I forgave them but in my heart, no, not really

So, how was I so sure this time that I had forgiven them for the brokenness they caused in my life? I knew I had forgiven them because, I laughed. Yes, I laughed at how stupid it was for me to hold on to my unforgiveness – my brokenness- like it was some hidden, sacred badge of suffering that I really wanted to expose to the world! You know what I’m talking about. You want to grab a microphone and scream to the world, “Look at how this person has hurt me, has broken my spirit!”

But, holding on to that unforgiveness was a trick of the devil to keep me chained to past hurts. What a precious waste of time and energy! But my term as a prisoner of unforgiveness and brokenness ended and I became a prisoner of hope!  Zechariah 9:12.

What do I mean by that? When you hope for something, you are praying for that something to be manifested, to become a reality, to come to pass. And this is where unforgiveness affects hope. Unforgiveness can block the hope of that something you are praying for to be manifested. We think we are okay because some of our prayers are answered. But, are they answered because of God’s perfect will or because of His mercy or His permissive will. Let’s consider what Jesus said and taught.

Hinders Your Prayers
Unforgiveness can hinder answers to your prayers. We have all heard Jesus’ words reverberating in our heads over and over again, “If you don’t forgive neither will your Father in heaven forgive you.” Matthew 6:14‑15. Or, one better is where Jesus says in the same chapter at verse 12 (and I am paraphrasing here, “Forgive us for causing brokenness in other people’s lives as we forgive those who have caused brokenness in our lives.” That’s another whole episode because just as others have hurt us and we have to forgive them, we too have caused hurt for which we need to be forgiven.

 Now let’s talk about one important reason people find it so difficult to forgive. If you accept what I am about to say, you will be able to forgive immediately and forgive anybody, anytime, anywhere. Here we go.

 Forgiveness is NOT a feeling. This is the mistake people make in learning to forgive. They think they are supposed to feel forgiveness. No, you’re not! If you wait until you “feel” like you have forgiven someone, you might be waiting a long, long time. You don’t feel forgiveness, you speak forgiveness. Sometimes you do “feel” forgiveness but more often you don’t. What do I mean by “speak” forgiveness? The Word tells us to speak those things that be not as though they were. Romans 4:17(b). You be honest with God and tell Him, “Lord, I don’t want to forgive, but I know it displeases you for me not to forgive because you forgave and have forgiven so much that I have done. So, I speak forgiveness to you. I forgive that person who hurt me and I won’t worry about feeling the forgiveness because I know you know I want to please you. Thank you for hearing and receiving this prayer.”  There, you admit you don’t feel forgiveness but because you want to please God, you speak forgiveness. IF the feeling is going to happen one day, then fine. If you never “feel” forgiveness, then so what. You have spoken it. And of course, the devil is going to tell you, you haven’t really forgiven because you don’t feel it. Well, John 8:44 tells us that he is a liar and the father of lies. So, get him out of your head and put him back under your foot like Jesus did. Ephesians 1:22;
1 Corinthians 15: 25, 27.

Now, here are a couple of things about speaking forgiveness: 1. You can’t speak it on Sunday and wait until next Sunday to speak it again.

You speak over yourself daily in scripture that you are a forgiving person, that you don’t hold grudges, that you forgive others their trespasses as God has forgiven you your trespasses (from the Lord’s prayer). You either form your own list of scriptures from the Word that you confess over yourself daily or you can look to already prepared scriptures. I have confessions of faith, healing, and finances that I have listened to daily since October 2019. You would be shocked at how God has blessed me and my family through these daily confessions. The point is, you don’t do hit-and-miss confessions of whatever you are praying for victory over or in, you pray daily, consistently and sincerely. The Word works if you work the Word.

The second thing about speaking forgiveness daily is that eventually you will have a breakthrough and when you do the floodgates will open. By that I mean, you will start remembering other things, events, people that you need to forgive. Guess what? You will forgive. That’s what happened to me. It got to the point I just told God, “I forgive everyone who has ever hurt me. So, when the devil tried to bring past events and people and unforgiving thoughts to me I was able to say, “I have already forgiven therefore there is no issue here. I forgave.”

 Now, before we close let me say this. Forgiving doesn’t mean you are required to trust, or to tolerate mistreatment or whatever it was that led to the brokenness or hurt. Do not allow people to send you on a guilt trip. “But I thought you forgave me so why won’t you, for example, lend me some more money. Forgiving does not mean you are a rug to be stepped on and walked over. Forgive but be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove in how you deal with people whom you have forgiven.  John 10:16.

 Now, stay for a closing prayer followed by Apostle Charles who will tell you how to contact us and comment on this podcast.

 And you may contact me at cgmpresents@gmail.com for my source for daily confessions.

Father, bless every listener and our prayer is that they will have total victory in forgiving everyone who has ever caused brokenness in their lives. Give them the scriptures to speak daily as they remind you of the promises you have given in your Word. In the mighty name of your Son Jesus. Amen.