Forgiveness: The Gift You Give Yourself | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion - Jeff Kemp Team

If you’re mad at someone, still bitter at what they said or did to you…I know how you’re feeling. And, I want to help you handle it in a radical way that will turn out well for you…and others. This devotion is about setting yourself free from our anger over minor offenses in life. (Minor offenses are best overlooked. Major offenses likely need to be confronted in wisdom and in love.)

Gameplan:

A man’s understanding makes him slow to anger. It is to his honor to forgive and forget a wrong done to him (to overlook an offense). Proverbs 19:11 NLV

[Love] does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 1 Cor 13:5 NLT

Time Out:

(Reminder – we’re talking about minor issues here, not major sins and damaging wrongs.)

Perhaps you, like me, have created unnecessary emotion and complexity when you didn’t overlook an offense. Have you etched a record in your brain about being wronged and then held onto that bitter memory?

Maybe you acted out your frustration or anger. How’d that work out? Think about how much God has forgiven us, how huge His grace is toward us. Then think about how being thin-skinned and bitter poisons our own attitude and relationships.

Go Deep:

Practice the effectiveness of wisdom and brilliance of love…don’t be self-centered and irritable…overlook an offense and don’t etch a wrong in your memory. Forgive…it sets you free from bitterness and messed up relationships.

List the names of people who you are mad at or bitter about. Write “Forgiven” across the whole sheet and throw it away. Thank God for sacrificing Jesus to forgive you and ask Him to help you forgive and overlook future offenses.