Is Unforgiveness Keeping You From Your Blessing?

Busyness and chaos only began to describe the week I’d been having, not to mention a lingering sinus infection. Relaxing and reconnecting with God were a couple of my top priorities for the weekend.

I showed up to my scheduled massage appointment, anticipating an hour of relaxation and relief.  About 10 minutes into the massage, I had a flash of a memory of a family member’s home I had visited several times when I was a little girl. Surprised as to why this vision was appearing, I asked God about it.

One family member, who I remember having good memories with at the time, appeared in the home. Then I asked God where He was at that time. He appeared next to my family member. I wasn’t feeling scared, but just curious as to why this was being brought up. I recalled pictures of other parts of the house. The rooms in the front of the house were always presentable. The rest of the house was presentable as well, but I had thoughts of brokenness this family experienced in the rooms not many saw. I continued to ask God why this was being brought to mind. My massage continued and felt great, but I was captivated by what was occurring.

Then I recalled how I was treated by and spoken to at times by these family members, and it had been hurtful. So hurtful that I had been carrying it all these years later, but not realizing the full effects.

Forgive. In that moment, I knew I needed to forgive these family members for what had occurred in the past. I started recalling what Jill Monaco, my life coach, had taught me a year before on walking through forgiving someone (she now has a book with the steps!). As I walked through the steps, I came to the end of the forgiveness section, where you pray a blessing over the person(s). I was stuck, as these people had passed years ago. How do you speak a blessing over someone who has passed away?

Further revelation came as I continued seeking this question out. I spoke a blessing over their descendants, and I am one of them. The hurt that I experienced and the unforgiveness I had carried were blocking generational blessings. Peace and revelation filled me. I no longer felt animosity toward them. I also realized God has more in store for me than the hurts and wounds I had clung to for so long.

Every day we have the chance to get offended, to hold on to a past wound or to stay in a state of bitterness because of a wrong that has been done to us. But God desires so much more for our lives. He longs for us to be set free and to walk in the freedom His son paid for our lives.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. –Galatians 5:13

As singles (and for anyone else), learning to forgive and hand it over to God brings a release to us and allows us to drop any baggage. What one person did to us does not mean that another person will.  Until we walk through forgiveness, we may carry a wrong perspective and miss out on the blessings God intended for us.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. –John 8:36

Jana Smith is a single woman living in the Dallas Texas area. She has learned that no matter what has happened in her life, from bad choices to harsh environments to losing her mother, to keep her focus on God. She remembers that God is always with her and has never left her side. She believes that knowing your true identity in Christ, coupled with freedom, can lead to a powerful revelation of who you are as a warrior in the Kingdom and as God’s intricately designed masterpiece.