“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” Hebrews 12:14-15
Forgiveness opens the heavens for blessings and the door of a brighter tomorrow. It starts with forgiving ourselves and forgiving others.
For those of you who read my first blog “Trust in the Lord” I shared my life experience with you and mentioned it was a slow process to who I am today.
I want to share that before I came to the church I attend today, I was attending a different church for 10 years. In those 10 years, I would attend on a Sunday basis and never got baptized. I loved God as I do now, was grateful to God as I am now and wanted in my heart to get baptized but gave three steps forward and five back. I could not overcome what the enemy threw my way. Until one day, in a conversation with a close friend. She said “There must be something that God has to work in you”. Like what? I asked myself. “Pray about it” she said.
I began to ask God to show me what I needed to see. I continued to go to church and one day I came across a longtime friend whom had relocated from where I lived in New Jersey. She asked me if I went to church and I said yes, but insisted that I visit her church, Church of God Center of Life, for a prayer service.
I agreed and I will never forget how the presence of God was so powerful, I felt as if God said you are finally where I want you to be. Praise be to God! I knew I was here to stay. God wanted me here so that he could minister my need!
What was that need? I didn’t know it yet, but I continued to come to the prayer services and each time the spirit lead me to the front of the altar and I felt a hurt that I thought was no longer there. It was a process, but he used his servants. God bless each and every one of those whom he used to pray for me and I was ministered like never before. I cried tears I thought I was done crying.
That same year, at my children’s grandmother’s wake, I stood before my children’s father (after so many years) and instead of condolences I asked him for forgiveness. I didn’t need an apology from him because my apology to him lifted a burden that I didn’t know I was carrying for years.
God answered my prayers and let me see that I was carrying unforgiveness not only towards my children’s father, but towards myself. I felt guilty for separating my children from their father and grandmother and carried it deep within. HE allowed me to come to Church of God Center of Life because he knew I was so emotionally broken and I needed to heal before I could continue to walk with HIM. HE let me see that there was unforgiveness that needed to be unleashed. I was a prisoner of unforgiveness, resentment, bitterness, but was free by the grace and power of God.
I learned that we can love God, walk with God, and still be carrying resentment and unforgiveness sometimes buried so deep that only if we ask God, HE will reveal. We have to ask HIM to let us see what we need to see to walk closer to HIM.
Unforgiveness makes us a prisoner emotionally and spiritually. God wants us to forgive ourselves and those who have offended us in any way so that we can receive the blessings of love, peace, joy and be blessed with the strength to keep standing no matter the trials we may have to face.
Emotional healing has bee one of God’s greatest blessings in my life! It followed with Baptism and experiencing a freedom that is beyond words…Thank you Jesus!
Prayer
Lord, I thank you for the power of love manifested in my life through all that you have done for me. I pray that you help us daily to forgive those who trespass against us, as for you forgive us our trespasses. If there is someone who is emotionally broken, and that your miraculous hand manifest the power of healing in this present need. Thank you Father. I love you. Amen!
May God bless you in every way possible!
Love you, your sister and friend,
Zayda Casiano
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