Tikkun America RESTORE Magazine NIsan | April 2025 | Page 19

Hurt people hurt people.
Forgiven
people
should
forgive
others.
There are no“ shortcuts” for those in Messiah, rather inspired instruction to forgive those who have sinned against us. This releases the offender where the offended forgives and moves onward in Messiah.
There is another piece of wisdom that has really helped which says the following –
Forgiveness for the past does not demand trust in the future.
“ For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will not forgive yours.”
Many claim to follow Messiah while living by a double standard. They want to be forgiven, yet they do not forgive those who have offended them. Those who live by this double standard should be encouraged to read and meditate on their heavenly policy and stop making up their own.
I share this insight as a person and a leader, basically someone who has been hurt time after time, yet I have learned something that has helped me forgive others regardless of the offense.
I choose to forgive those who hurt me, as the Lord has forgiven me time and time again, yet that certainly does not mean that I can trust them because trust is established overtime and is tested by proven character.
Deep healing and restoration in a broken relationship is established at the speed of trust. Another important factor to regaining trust in a relationship is the willingness of the offender to“ behave themselves out of the patterns they behaved themselves into.”
In the case of Joseph’ s brothers – led by Judah, they experienced genuine repentance through admission of guilt, confession and behavioral change.
To learn better behavior, we need to be filled with the right FRUIT – the Fruit of the Spirit.
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