Category: Pain

Categories
Forgiveness Joseph Pain

Process Before Event

“So Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come near to me, please.’ And they came near. And he said, ‘I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.’” Genesis 45:4-5 (ESV) Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. The process includes the pain caused by the offense or neglect or wound. Often, the pain grows into bitterness rooted in unforgiveness. God begins to alert you to the presence of unforgiveness inside of you which produces conviction. Responding to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, you choose to extend forgiveness in private through prayer to the one who offended you. God enables you to release the unforgiveness you have harbored in your heart. Once you have received God’s forgiveness for your unforgiveness and you have extended forgiveness in private through prayer, then you prepare to go public on your private forgiveness. This moves into the event of forgiveness. After you have spent time with God in prayer, you transition into communicating your forgiveness to the offender. Joseph experienced the process of forgiveness which prepared him for the event of forgiveness. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers whom had sold him into slavery, he deliberately extended forgiveness to them. It was apparent that Joseph had forgiven them privately in prayer as he communed with God each day. Private forgiveness enabled Joseph to go public on his forgiveness by saying, “Come close to me.” When you extend forgiveness to others, it splashes Living Water on them and releases and refreshes you. Remember that forgiveness is immediate, once you go public, but trust takes time. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

Categories
Family Forgiveness Pain

The Process of Forgiveness

“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.” Genesis 39:1 (NIV) How do you reverse the curse? How do you bring healing to the family after the virus of unforgiveness has infected your family? It is vital that you recognize the process of forgiveness. The process begins with pain. You identify the pain related to the offense. Someone may have hurt you, neglected you, or offended you. Those closest to us can often wound us the most. At some point in the process, the pain of unforgiveness becomes greater than the pain of the original offense. God will not allow unforgiveness to reside in you without pain. Harboring unforgiveness does not align with God’s will. In the process of forgiveness, you will experience dual pain: the pain of the offense and the pain of unforgiveness. The dual pain will bring you to a place of personal conviction. You will begin to recall that you cannot have a right relationship with God if you do not have a right relationship with others. You begin recognizing that life is too short to live with a strained relationship. Then you move into compassion. God allows you to brush up against the cross and feel the love and forgiveness Jesus lavished on you. His mercy and His grace begin to grip you personally and you are overwhelmed with His unconditional love. That experience moves you into compassion. Acknowledge that you don’t deserve the forgiveness Jesus has extended to you. Let compassion flow as you confess to Jesus in private that you now choose to forgive the one who offended you. Consciously articulate in prayer to Jesus the desires of your heart. Bring honor to Jesus by extending forgiveness privately in prayer. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Forgiveness Joseph Pain

Process Before Event

“So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” Genesis 45:4-5 (ESV) Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. The process includes the pain caused by the offense or neglect or wound. Often, the pain grows into bitterness rooted in unforgiveness. God begins to alert you to the presence of unforgiveness inside of you which produces conviction. Responding to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, you choose to extend forgiveness in private through prayer to the one who offended you. God enables you to release the unforgiveness you have harbored in your heart. Once you have received God’s forgiveness for your unforgiveness and you have extended forgiveness in private through prayer, then you prepare to go public on your private forgiveness. This moves into the event of forgiveness. After you have spent time with God in prayer, you transition into communicating your forgiveness to the offender. Joseph experienced the process of forgiveness which prepared him for the event of forgiveness. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers whom had sold him into slavery, he deliberately extended forgiveness to them. It was apparent that Joseph had forgiven them privately in prayer as he communed with God each day. Private forgiveness enabled Joseph to go public on his forgiveness by saying, “Come close to me.” When you extend forgiveness to others, it splashes Living Water on them and releases and refreshes you. Remember that forgiveness is immediate, once you go public, but trust takes time. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 27: Genesis 43-45) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Family Forgiveness Pain

The Process of Forgiveness

“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.” Genesis 39:1 (NIV) How do you reverse the curse? How do you bring healing to the family after the virus of unforgiveness has infected your family? It is vital that you recognize the process of forgiveness. The process begins with pain. You identify the pain related to the offense. Someone may have hurt you, neglected you, or offended you. Those closest to us can often wound us the most. At some point in the process, the pain of unforgiveness becomes greater than the pain of the original offense. God will not allow unforgiveness to reside in you without pain. Harboring unforgiveness does not align with God’s will. In the process of forgiveness, you will experience dual pain: the pain of the offense and the pain of unforgiveness. The dual pain will bring you to a place of personal conviction. You will begin to recall that you cannot have a right relationship with God if you do not have a right relationship with others. You begin recognizing that life is too short to live with a strained relationship. Then you move into compassion. God allows you to brush up against the cross and feel the love and forgiveness Jesus lavished on you. His mercy and His grace begin to grip you personally and you are overwhelmed with His unconditional love. That experience moves you into compassion. Acknowledge that you don’t deserve the forgiveness Jesus has extended to you. Let compassion flow as you confess to Jesus in private that you now choose to forgive the one who offended you. Consciously articulate in prayer to Jesus the desires of your heart. Bring honor to Jesus by extending forgiveness privately in prayer. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell