Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman
Forgiving others… probably the hardest of all the domains because it calls for the removal of all the “targets” that we have set up on the shooting range of life. It appears to be one of the hardest tasks we are called to because, all too often and for years, we have identified ourselves or allowed others to identify us by our wounds, by how we have been hurt and crippled by the acts of others against us resulting in some form of personal trauma.
To move through this doorway, we must first recognize that we, as a member of the human race, though now fallen, were created in the Image of the Tri-Une God. Through faith in Messiah , the process of having the original created Image restored begins in us. That is why we are called “new creatures”, with a “new life”, “a new purpose”, where everything is “NEW”.
Forgiveness, being the twin sister of Love, is a trait of the original Image of God that we were created with. We are called to grow, nurture, and exercise it as a part of the new life. The innate desire to forgive is part of the image of God that we were created with. We simply start by asking God to restore that part of His image within us.
Why? Because deep within each of us is the desire to be free and live a life of freedom. Free from trauma, hatred, resentments, mistrust, anger, free from being the jailer of an empty prison where we are the only one left inside. Our life sentence has been not one of victim but rather judge, jury and jail keeper. Those who hurt us in the past, long ago moved on. It is time for us to do the same. Realize your new life sentence is one of FREEDOM and move forward.
Love & Blessings,
Pastor Bruce and Suzi Elman
L’Chaim Messianic Congregation