Forgiveness & Blessing

In the lead up to the Christmas season, God has been placing somebody on my heart.  Specifically he has been leading me to think about ways that I can bring blessing to her over this time.

I have a long history with this woman.  She is someone who I was very close to in my childhood.  Someone I deeply loved for many years, someone I sowed in to.  Someone I felt responsible for.  Someone I was deeply hurt by.  Someone I felt spat in my face, and in the faces of those that I loved as she walked away.

Forgiveness is not something that I’ve ever had an issue with.  It takes a lot for me to be offended or hurt which is probably one of the reasons why I find forgiveness easy.  I don’t have to do it a lot.  And I thought that I had forgiven this woman as well.  But over the years, I began to realise that when I thought of her I didn’t think of her kindly.  I didn’t wish blessing on her.  She wasn’t in my prayers.

There was never a moment of revenge, or wishing harm on her.  But I began to realise that I certainly wasn’t wishing blessing on her.  And that was a heart attitude that hurt me.  That was a heart attitude that did not show love or compassion.  That was not how Jesus saw her.  And so in the last few months Jesus has been calling me to become more like him.  To let go of the bitterness pain that is left in my heart.  How can there be room for grace and peace and blessing if my heart is full of bitterness?

Proverbs 17:9 NLT – Love prospers when a fault is forgiven.

Throughout my study on motherhood recently, I realised there was a strong focus on women being full of justice and compassion.  As women, it is almost like we have a biblical mandate to bring blessing to those we come across.

1 Timothy 5:10 NLT – She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?

This Christmas, I am bringing freedom to my soul.

This Christmas, I am becoming more like Jesus.

This Christmas, I will bring blessing.  I will bring peace.

And I’m excited about that.