Forgiveness

What is Shalom?

God gave us free choice so that our love for him would not be given out of force by duty, but freely out of devotion. The gift of free choice also carried the reality that not everyone would choose God, resulting in sin. So while God gives us instructions on how to love others, we will still get hurt inside this broken world where evil exists. A person’s choice to sin not only hurts them, but it hurts others too. 

We’ve all been wounded through choices that were not our own. And it is not fair when this happens.

How did you handle your wound? Did you shut your heart down? I’ve been there – how about you?

The reality is that storms of injustice will always exist inside of love’s free choice causing winds and waves of wounds that no one escapes. But the force of shalom that flows from God overrides the winds and waves of life so we can live and love as God intended.

Shalom is peace and wholeness from God. 

Shalom means that injustice is never the end of your story and not the end of your heart! AMEN?!?

When our peace is full or overflowing, we can trust God to restore what may have been lost in the past and confidently move forward in the hope that we will have all we need for the future.

God has a new story he wants to write! In today’s podcast, discover how to receive God’s Shalom for your new beginning.

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What is My Role Inside of Reconciliation?

Satan delights in using grudges as tools to destroy our lives (2 Corinthians 2:10–11). He works through people to hurt us and put us in a self-imposed prison of unforgiveness (Ephesians 6:11–12; Matthew 18:21–35). Satan will try to use unforgiveness to prevent you from living God’s dream for your life. When we nurse grudges, we play into Satan’s hands, and our influence is wasted instead of used for God’s glory. 

In our fallen world of imperfect people and circumstances, our heart is vulnerable to being hurt by others. Sometimes this hurt can come from the most unlikely places—a trusted friend, a family member, or someone in a leadership position. The ones called to defend and protect us may let us down. The closer the person who offends us, the deeper the hurt. 

Understanding the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation is vital to restoring relationships God’s way. This difference is what we are talking about in today’s podcast.

And discovering this difference matters because your purpose matters.

Let’s further unlock God’s remedy for injustice in our life so we can pour our energy into our purpose.

Nourish Scripture: Genesis 42-45, Ephesians 4:32  5:15-16, Leviticus 6:1-7

Click here to join the Treasured Tribe.

Miss last week’s episode? We’ve got you covered! Catch the replay here!

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What Does it Mean to Love My Enemies?

Our socialization, or sometimes how our parents modeled “love,” is not always God’s truth about agape love. Women are often raised to believe that loving others is “being nice,” which prevents the biblical agape love God commands. For these reasons, God’s remedy for wounds that requires loving our enemies can be confusing. Oh, how the enemy loves to twist God’s truth!

What is real love? What does it mean to love our enemies? These are important questions. What we believe about love will direct our behavior when we love our enemies. 

When we leave what our parents or the world taught us about love and look to the Father who IS love, we discover how to apply the authentic agape love God commands in his Word. Our effort cannot manufacture authentic agape love for our enemies; it must flow from our maker.

And this is important because agape love is healing and sets the table for genuine reconciliation. God’s kindness – not “niceness” – leads to repentance.

Inside today’s podcast, uncover three common lies about loving our enemies and three truths to replace those lies, so you can live in agape love as God intended. 

Nourish Scripture: Romans 12, Mark 12:29-30

My YouTube Videos on Confrontation:

https://youtu.be/2lF6EaY88hM

https://youtu.be/npJ2dHB1mFo

Below are links for extra resources I mentioned inside today’s video:

Bold Love by Dr. Dan B. Allender

The Miracle Moment by Nicole Unice

Want to make a difference? Here are three ways you can help our ministry grow at no cost to you: 

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Why Can’t I Move Forward From This Offense? 

Do you ever wonder why someone who is no longer in your life still has control over you? Does the very mention of their name trigger insecurity, fear, anger, shame, or bitterness? You might have set wise boundaries with this person because they were not safe. They might be out of your life entirely through divorce or death, but you are still bound to them because when someone maintains mental real-estate in your head, they still control you. 

This is because a message is sent into our hearts when we are wounded. And when we don’t deal with the wound God’s way – that message becomes a drumbeat creating a rhythm in our subconscious that impacts our life. 

Until you process the pain with God, you cannot put the past behind you. The triggers remain, and we live out the lies that make their way into our hearts through the wound.

In addition to the lies from the wound that the enemy of your soul can trigger to keep you trapped, there is a relationship between forgiveness and faith that ties you to your offender. 

But your great God is waiting for you to come to him so he can heal you! In today’s podcast, we are talking about how to process your pain with God so you can put the past behind you and live free.

Links mentioned in today’s episode:

Join the Treasured Tribe!  

My Podcast with Dr. Doug Weiss 

Olivia’s Story 

Scripture: Matthew 6:11-12, Mark 11:22-24, Luke 17:1-10

Want to make a difference? Here are three ways you can help our ministry grow at no cost to you: 

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What Does It Mean to Turn the Other Cheek?

When Jesus said in Matthew 5:39, “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.” – what did he mean? At first glance, you might ask yourself, does God want me to be a punching bag and enable more abuse? NO WAY!!! NO WAY! 

Sadly, if we falsely believe this lie, we might feel shame over setting boundaries or standing our ground. In addition, this shame can shut down participation in our part of God’s forgiveness process, keeping us stuck under the enemy’s thumb. But when we see God as our validator and vindicator, we can hold God’s hand and do our work with confidence and courage to move forward. 

Matthew 5:39 is not asking you to be a punching bag; it calls you to pursue justice that restores and find peace to move forward. More in today’s podcast. 

Nourish Scripture: Matthew 5:38-41, Luke 6:27-30, Genesis 42-45

Click here to read the blog I referenced in today’s video 

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What Does the Bible Say About Vengeance?

Has a justified tug-a-war taken your joy, focus, and energy? Sometimes you have to let go of the rope to see God make it right. Often this does not seem “fair,” or it can feel like “letting go” is letting go of justice. But nothing is further than the truth.

God loves justice, but he wants you to do it his way, which means releasing your right to retaliate. Wise women let go of the fight to see God make things right.  

What or whom are you fighting to make things fair? Where do you want to “win”? 

In today’s episode, discover how to fight injustice with God’s battle plan as we dive into part four of our summer series, What Does it Mean to Forgive?

The truth is when we try to make things right on our own instead of making room for God’s justice, we can fight God instead of allowing him to fight for us. Letting go of your right to retaliate does not mean you are letting go of justice, although it can feel that way. But when we fight with forgiveness, God fights for us, and we are free. Courage to surrender to God’s battle plan of forgiveness comes by gaining His perspective through worship, prayer, and vision.   

It’s time to sow into the solution by resting under God’s strategy and see victory. 

Join the Treasured Tribe, support Treasured Ministries, and get my teaching notes from this video!

Scripture for this week: Romans 12:17-19, Ephesians 6:10-12, Joshua 5:13-6:6 

If you missed last week’s episode, you can catch the replay here!

Want to make a difference? Here are three ways you can help our ministry grow at no cost to you: 

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What Does the Bible Say? 

Often our biblical responsibility when dealing with someone who has hurt us can be blurry. When this happens, we might mistakenly carry another person’s responsibility inside the process, which can prevent real reconciliation and is NEVER a permanent solution to the healing we all long for. Listen to today’s podcast and gain clarity on what is and is not your role inside relationships where there has been an offense. Here is the truth: awareness of what is and is not your biblical responsibility permits you to pause, draw boundaries and deal with your offender with patience, wisdom, and love. Trusting God’s process does not guarantee reconciliation but makes room for the Lord to bring authentic and healthy restoration. Listen to all episodes of our summer podcast series by subscribing to the Live Treasured Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Our verses for this week are Galatians 6:1-6.

You can purchase a copy of Mending the Soul: Understanding and Healing Abuse by Steven R. Tracey here.

If you missed last week’s episode, catch the replay here!

Want to make a difference? Here are three ways you can help our ministry grow at no cost to you: 

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What Is the Difference Between Reconciliation and Forgiveness?

WATCH OUT! Is someone trying to rush you into reconciliation, using religious rhetoric or even scripture?

Perhaps they have said, “But the Bible says you are not supposed to judge me, and you should forgive me.” OR, “Well, you know what the Bible says about reconciliation.” Or maybe “I thought you said you were a Christian. Let me read this verse to you…“

You know, treasured one, religious rhetoric or scripture can be a powerful tool to push premature reconciliation that is not God’s intention for you. Especially when you are confused with your biblical responsibility, you might give in to the pressure and offer premature, often artificial reconciliation. Abusers and offenders love this strategy to relieve their guilt by putting it on YOU. But this is not God’s way.  

Rushing reconciliation when not ready prevents true restoration. Listen this week as we continue in our summer series What Does It Mean to Forgive? Listen to all episodes in this series by subscribing to the Live Treasured Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Our verses for this week are Genesis 42:1-18, Hebrews 9, 1 John 1:9.

Miss last week’s episode? Catch the replay of episode 1 of our summer series on forgiveness by clicking here!

Want to make a difference? Here are three ways you can help our ministry grow at no cost to you: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast. 

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