TWO KINDS OF UNFORGIVENESS
By Gail Rodgers

Dorothy had been deeply wounded. The pain was engrained in her soul and she was reminded of it almost daily. She wished she could forgive, and even tried to, but she just didn't know how.

Sheri, on the other hand, dug in her heels in and bristled at the thought of forgiveness. She felt no one could understand the deep pain that had wounded her heart and she believed she could never forgive. Quite simply, she did not even want to.

If you struggle with a deep offence in your heart, do a quick check and see what kind of unforgiveness you are harboring. It can be toxic to your soul.

The first kind is found in the heart of one who has had a very real offence committed again her. She would forgive if she could, but the deep pain keeps her from getting there.

Imagine your heart as a home. The home looks tidy from all obvious appearances, but in one room unforgiveness is stuffed away. At times the whole house is permeated with its offensiveness.

If this is you, and you don't want to continue harboring unforgiveness, simply tell God you want to give Him the "key" to that room in your "heart home." As you submit this area to God you are acknowledging your trust in Him. You are agreeing to have God hold your hand and go with you into that room so that He can clean it up, in His time. He will do an amazing job of house cleaning that will make your heart rejoice! All you need is the willingness to begin the journey of forgiveness with God's help.

Perhaps you are struggling with an unwilling heart right now. This is the second kind of unforgiveness, and the most toxic.  Although it is humanly understandable that one might rebel against forgiveness, the result is simply not worth it. Your whole life can become affected as the toxins of anger and mistrust permeate through your "heart home."

Refusing to forgive is like holding rebellion in your heart. God speaks about such things in His Word..."Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubborness as the sin of idolatry" (2 Samuel 15:23).

As Christians we would never consider getting involved in witchcraft, yet the rebellion of a heart in unforgiveness can open the same kinds of doors in our lives. Willful unforgiveness, with no openness to begin the journey of forgiveness, can allow the enemy of your soul to stake a claim. Give God the key today. He can be trusted with the journey to bring your heart to wholeness.

~Father God,

Thank You that You understand my pain and my inability to forgive. I need your help. Today I submit to You the key to that room in my heart that holds unforgiveness. I declare my trust in You today. Hold my hand and help me journey to forgiveness and wholeness. Thank You for Your unconditional love to me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

About the Author

Gail Rodgers has a passion for discovering and sharing how the Scriptures apply in very practical ways where we live and walk each day. She is a wife, mother of three, businesswoman and a pastor to women. She resides in Alberta, Canada with her family. Click to order Gail's new devotional book, Everything You Need: http://www.gailrodgers.ca/orderBook.htm or visit her web site at http://www.gailrodgers.ca. Click to e-mail Gail: mailto:editor@christianwomentoday.com?subject=Attn:Gail_Rodgers