Be-Cast Episode 14: BE FORGIVING
New to podcasts and not sure what to do? Check out our Podcast 101 tutorial and we’ll walk you through it step by step!
Listen by clicking the Play button above or you can also listen here. And don’t forget to listen and subscribe to the Be-Cast on iTunes and have each week’s podcast is automatically downloaded to your computer, phone or tablet!
THIS WEEK’S VERSES:
“Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (Colossians 3:13)
“If you forgive anyone, I forgive that one as well. Have no doubt, anything that I have forgiven—when I do forgive—is done ultimately for you in the presence of the Anointed One.” (2 Corinthians 2:10)
A MESSAGE FROM AMBER:
This is weird… Like, so weird! But weird in a really cool, amazing, I-can’t-believe-I-get-to-do-this kind of way!
I am so honored to be asked to lead a Be-Cast! When Monica told me that she and Sara felt that I should be the one to do the research for BE Forgiving my palms got all sweaty and my voice kind of started shaking… because facilitating the brilliance of others is easy… But to be the one doing the research was never something I thought I would do!
Thank you Monica and Sara for believing in me enough to entrust to me this podcast and for bringing out in me something I didn’t know I had!
So…let’s get to the point here…BE Forgiving.
This topic is so dear to my heart, only because it seems like the Lord is having to remind me of these truths every day! (You’d think I’d learn already!) The bottom line: Forgiveness leads to Freedom.
We emulate the God we worship. It’s important to realize that God doesn’t DO forgiving. He IS Forgiving. (tweet that)
Exodus 34: 6-7a: Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished,
- The word forgiveness in this verse is nasa’. To bear up, to lift, to take away, carry off
- Take away to where? Take to God. Forgiveness means taking the responsibility of justice off your own shoulders and putting it on God’s shoulders.
- DOING forgiveness means inconsistant forgiving. Forgiveness is a process. Not an event. *And BEING forgiving means doing it every time.* (possibly even mulitple times!)
- Forgiveness brings freedom from carrying the burden.
- Your unforgiveness doesn’t hurt anyone but yourself.
- Remember “God will right all wrongs.”
- Unforgiveness for others stems from an unforgiveness for yourself.
PSALM 32
How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, loving-kindness shall surround him.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.
Resentment is the poison you feed yourself, hoping someone else will die. (Anonymous)
Like everything else in BE, forgiveness is a voyage. It isn’t an over night quick fix that makes everything better. It is a step-by-step journey with Jesus that will take you from a place of icy bitterness to a mountaintop of freedom. (tweet that)
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
- Examine the lesson: figure out what you’ve learned. When forgiving yourself, this is a huge stepping stone. Allow God to teach you as you work through this so that you don’t make the same mistakes in the future.
- Be humble. When you know you’ve done something wrong remember the four magic words, “Will you forgive me?” As Monica said, this shows vulnerability…and vulnerability is the great equalizer when it comes to relationships.
- Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Empathize with them. As you do this you will be more full of grace as you seek to forgive them.
- Pray for the person. (So hard!) But as you pray for them God will soften your heart and give you a fresh perspective on who they are.
- See a counselor. Forgiveness doesn’t free up the other person. It frees up you. Sometimes an outside, professional perspective can help you heal from past hurts.
DOWNLOADS:
Download the printable, a phone wallpaper and Instagram/Pinterest pic here!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
1. The Gift of Forgiveness by Dr. Charles Stanley. Learn how to give and receive forgiveness in this wonderful book!
2. Do Yourself a Favor…Forgive: Take Control of Your Life Through Forgiveness by Joyce Meyer. Like always, Joyce tells it like it is in this book with practical advice and real-life situations.