Have You Really Forgiven?

You might be wondering how you will know if you have truly forgiven.

"Real forgiveness always brings peace. If you're remembering something and you have no peace, then it hasn't been forgiven," says Harold Graham.

Test yourself in this. Bring to mind something that your former spouse has said or done that used to cause you great anger or resentment. Do the old feelings rush in or do you feel peace as you place this memory in the Lord's hands? If you were to meet your former spouse today, what would be going on inside of you?

Harold Graham offers another good suggestion to help you know if you have forgiven:

"You will know you have truly forgiven someone when you're finally free of the baggage that comes along with it. How many times do you say you've forgiven and have the old feelings rise up on the inside of you? To have no improvement of life, no improvement of your Christianity, no improvement of your health, and no improvement in how you feel would be good indications that forgiveness hasn't happened. The reverse would also be true. If your health improves, if your ability to relate to people improves, if your spiritual walk deepens, if your ministry suddenly becomes effective, if your worship suddenly becomes real, that would be a good indication that forgiveness has truly happened."

God's peace and healing are supernatural. They are deeper than anything a human could produce through hard work or will power. God's way brings you blessed freedom and a release of your burdens.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not