This past week I turned a quarter century. As soon as October 1st hit, my mind and did a flashback of everything I’ve done until this point. Scary. I am quick to say that I am not perfect AT ALL and all of my past made me the person I am today. As humans we want to truly believe the old saying “we forgive and forget,” I myself say this without knowing the true intent of the actual meaning. Let’s dig in. Have you ever had someone who broke a promise? Dated someone who completely destroyed the idea of true love for you? A parent who lacked in giving you the love you crave? Maybe a lost friendship that you wish never ended? At least one person can relate to one or all these instances. That’s where my mind went when 12am hit the clock. The “what if” idea rushed through my mind like a trailer to a movie that was about me. Every memory showed me the ounce of resentment I actually had and didn’t fully forgive and forget. It’s difficult to give someone the permission to hurt you from time and time again and forgive them without having the bitterness in your heart. That’s when we turn to Jesus and the Cross. How does this fit? Well, simply we were made new because of what Jesus did on the cross for us. Daily we sin against God by our pride (Jeremiah 9:23–24), stubbornness (Proverbs 29:1), lack of love for others (1 Peter 4:8). The list can go on forever. Speaking from experience, we can look at the person who has hurt us and think of the things they’ve done and we immediately have the burning anger on the inside of our hearts. This means you truly didn’t forgive them. How can we heal from the feeling of resentment? There is only one answer giving it to God.
In a sermon by John Piper titled “Do Not Avenge Yourselves, but Give Place to Wrath of God,” he goes through Romans 12:16-20. The sermon goes on to share this idea of how much we make everything about us and look away from God. Piper states "The wrath of God is God’s settled anger toward sin expressed in the repayment of suitable vengeance on the guilty sinner. Because of our sin each one of us must face the wrath of God, but on the cross Jesus is drinking the cup of wrath in our place. If we don't come to Jesus Christ in faith believing he has taken our place on the cross then what will it be like when we experience the wrath of God?” We are sinners ourselves and our HOLY God forgives us and puts our sins in the past. All the pain, lies, hate, jealousy, denial of Christ all of it is now forgiven. Romans 12:16-20 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” When one is not in any mood of joy we need to remember that our eternal home is not here on earth but in Heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Knowing that we sinners who by our fall nailed Jesus on the cross and we are STILL able to draw to Him by grace and we are saved is true encouragement. The Lord holds no grudges and once we start living in true harmony with God’s commands and bear good fruit by drawing near and growing in the Lord, then this process gets manageable. Then we’ll have the Spirit leading us into working unto the Lord. Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea
By: Belinda (IG: @belindaaolmoo and TikTok: belindar.olmo)
Belinda is a contributing writer for Bible and Hot Cocoa blog. She is currently in graduate school for Clinical Mental Heath. Bel also has a bachelors degree in English, which is such a passion of hers. She loves to share her experiences and how God’s Grace has kept her in all of the good and the bad. Belinda wants to use social media platforms to share the Gospel and how Jesus truly saves. For more content feel free to check out her Instagram: belindaaolmoo, TikTok: belindar.olmo, and my new blog site: www.belindaspeaks.blogspot.com.
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