Discerning the Love of God

Interesting title, ain’t it? Well, today I would like to shed light on why many of us are walking in the cities, in the fields, on the streets, with dissatisfaction in our hearts. There are far too many who can relate to the expression of turmoil and emotional pain. And before some of you shut this website off, calling me a legalist when I say that we should be discerning the love of God, I just want to let you know there is a mystery within these words. For those who don’t know of this prince let me introduce the mystery of this great prince’s love for you.

Does God Hate Sinners of Love Them?

I saw a recent clip that has gone viral. I don’t want to get specific, but it’s from the Reformed Christian movement and basically, they talk about the misunderstandings in the Church. These preachers remind us of the common saying, “God loves the sinner but hates the sin.”

They then explain that this saying is found nowhere in the Bible. And they go further to mention not only that this is not found in the Bible but that it is a completely false understanding of God.

Why… they say that God hates the sinner and the sin. So, not only does He hate sin, He hates the sinner. They further support their points with scriptures which are found in the Bible such as the following.

Psalm 5:4-6 (World English Bible)
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

What’s implied from this point onwards is that only born-again, believing Christians are loved by God. Now, I completely understand their point but I can discern that the full beauty of the Gospel was not shown. This is not where they should have stopped in their explanation because there’s so much more.

Not only do they harp on this idea as if it’s a huge revelation. And these clips fail not in garnering views for one main reason. People don’t understand how nondiscriminatory the love of God is.

Remember Jacob and Esau?

So, let’s actually look not only at what the scriptures say but at what they mean. Let’s bring back that frequently quotes passage of scripture in support of God’s hatred of sinners.

But wait a second, before anything, let’s include a bit more context…

Psalm 5:4-6 (New King James Version)
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.

When King David was being inspired by the Holy Spirit, he prayed and wrote what is there in Psalm 5. And as you read verse 7 and 8, you realize that King David makes a distinction between the sinners who God cannot stand, and sinners like him.

Note here that he is not saying that he is perfect. On the contrary, He is saying that when He goes to God’s house, He recieves a multitude of mercy. So, what’s really being said here is not that God hates sinners, rather, it’s saying that there are sinners who refuse to know God and there are sinners who decide to go to God.

We see this same princple again with the following Bible verse

Romans 9:13 (New King James Version)
13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Does Romans 9:13 say that God hate Esau because he’s a sinner? Yes. But does that then mean Jacob’s a goody two shoes? Nope.

Discerning the Love of God

Jacob was not righteous when considered by his works according to the Ten Commandments (even though it would come later). Same goes for David. But, the difference between Esau and Jacob or the difference between the wicked people David talks about and David, is the heart.

The heart of Jacob was willing to have a relationship with God. The heart of David was after God. Esau rejected God all the time, rejected His inheritance for a soup, rejected God’s plan for his marriage, etc…

And so, God who by nature hates sin, will hate those who love sin. And there are certain people who have hardened their hearts so much so that nothing can ever convince them to turn to God. Therefore, if a person commits to rejecting the love of God without any room for change, then God’s anger will remain upon that sinner.

That doesn’t mean God doesn’t love them, but it means God hates them for not turning away from what they’re doing, and He is angry with their stubbornness. This is just like how an earthly father will be angry at his son if he grows up to betray his country and becomes an international criminal. But, deep inside, the father still has a remnant of love for the son and as soon as that son changes his ways, the father’s love will appear.

Ezekiel 33:11 (New King James Version)
11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

Therefore, if you feel that bad because you think God is angry at you, turn to Jesus, accept His free gift of salvation. He paid the price for your sins on the cross so now you can enter into a relationship with God.

And when you believe in Jesus, you receive His righteousness so that He will never be angry at you again as He is with a sinner. Any sinner can become righteous if they come to Jesus. So, to conclude, God loves everyone. But, everyone has to make the choice if they want to reconcile their relationship with God or remain strangers.

Romans 5:8 (New King James Version)
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

To summarize, God ultimately loves the sinner but He hates the sin. God may be angry at a sinner for their actions similar to how a parent may be disappointed with their child. But, at the end of the day, He shows grace and mercy to those who trust Him.

The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom

Do you take God seriously? I’ve heard many people mention God. They sometimes talk about Him as if He’s okay with everything under the sun. Still others say there’s no hope for y’all because He’s gonna condemn you for your sins. And yet sometimes, I hear people who say He’s just one of many gods and that you can become a god too. After hearing all this garbage, I realized that people don’t take God’s name as seriously as they claim to. They’re not even willing to stand at the beginning of wisdom. If they did, they’d have kept their mouth shut about what they clearly know nothing about. So, this all comes to one bold yet important question we ought to ask ourselves, myself included, “Do I take God seriously?”

“I’ve Got More Time”

Newsflash! Time ain’t on your side 99% of the time (pun intended).

And yet, we all seem to think we can take time for granted and whichever God we choose is a choice we can make tomorrow. But what if it isn’t? Are you really capable of taking such a tremendous risk?

Arrogance…

Most of us haven’t been humbled. We’re so relaxed about everything, we just go with the flow and throw caution to the wind. It’s quite silly when you think about it.

And unfortunately, this mentality leads to people giving up on pursuing God. While for others, this mentality leads them to pursue any god but the God of the Bible.

For some reason, the character of the God of the Bible seems unattractive to some people. He seems too harsh, too old, too restrictive, too unreasonable, too unapproachable.

Exodus 34:14 World English Bible (WEB)
14 for you shall worship no other god; for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Well if that’s what you think of God, may I dare to say something a bit harsh? Nevertheless, I’ll say it for your sake.

Could it just be that God seems restrictive, jealous, unreasonable, and all these generally considered negative traits because He sees things for what they really are hence why He reacts so harshly? And maybe… you’re the one who really needs God to thump your head because you just can’t see what He sees?

I mean if He is the one who made you in your mother’s womb, wouldn’t He truly feel jealous when He sees you worshipping another so-called god? I’d tell you what I’d feel in His position. Absolute rage!

Yet, too many of us spend our lives serving other gods, some dedicate themselves to New Age ideas, others become slaves of alcohol, and others obey their lustful desires.

The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom

And that brings me to my main point, whether you’re Christian or not, you’ve got to take God seriously. And if you’re not Christian, take the time to reconsider your position because there’s only one way to Heaven and that’s through accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

Proverbs 9:10 World English Bible (WEB)
10 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
    The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The beginning of wisdom starts when you decide to fear the Lord. And fearing the Lord doesn’t mean you’re scared of him like you were of the boogeyman. It means you don’t take Him too lightly, and you honour Him in the highest regard.

Now, if you’re no a Christian, here’s what I mean by taking God seriously. Here’s your next step.

Just say a little prayer where you ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Saviour. Why should you? It’s because you in and of your own ability cannot pay the price for your sins. When you stand before God one day as we all must at some point, you’ll need someone to pay the price for your sins whatever they may be.

Sure you might have been a good person, but a good person still must pay the price for their sins, that’s the harsh reality of our existence.

Nothing we do is granted to us, it’s all just accumulated debt. And at some point, you’ve got to pay the moral debt you owe a sinless perfect God of Justice.

Now too bad for God, He’s too kind, He’s too loving, He’s too graceful. He couldn’t bear to let your sorry posterior carry the weight of your hell. He’s given you a chance to change your fate.

Over two thousand years ago, He wrapped Himself in human flesh and died on the cross for your sins. So instead of you suffering hell after Earth, He suffered your hell on Earth as He died on the cross. I talk more about it and righteousness here.

Reject Folly! Follow Wisdom! Who is Wisdom?

Now for the born-again Christian, I carry another message. Hold strong to the convictions we read in the Bible. I talk about it here also, but, this is the point.

The point is to dedicate your life to Christ Jesus as your Lord. He is not only your Saviour, He is also your Lord.

He is the main motivator for your existence. Like come on! He alone died on the cross for your sake, He suffered hell on your behalf, the least you could do is to treat Him rightfully as King He is.

Philippians 2:9-11 World English Bible (WEB)
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Don’t just wait til you’re in Heaven to bow your knees before God, why not do it now?

Follow Wisdom, reject Folly. If there are temptations you face, overcome it through your Saviour, Christ Jesus because He is your Lord also.

You know, in the Bible, the Spirit of Wisdom is represented as a woman, she calls to the foolish that they may turn away from their foolishness and follow the Lord.

Proverbs 8:1-4 World English Bible (WEB)
1 Doesn’t wisdom cry out?
Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

2 On the top of high places by the way,
where the paths meet, she stands.
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4 “I call to you men!
I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

And yet, the way we ought to start our journey on the path of the wise is by making sure to fear the Lord. So, worship the Lord, pray to Him, and read His Word. Live by His Words and follow His Spirit wherever He leads. Then, God will also grant your the Spirit of Wisdom as you start at the beginning of wisdom.

Proverbs 28:14 Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)
14 O the happiness of a man fearing continually, And whoso is hardening his heart falleth into evil.

By Andre Dillon Wijesekera

God Who Knew You From Before the Foundation of the Earth

This whole post finds its foundation on one Bible verse. This Bible verse is Ephesians 1:4. It very much reveals the heart of Lord Jesus Christ, the God who knew you from before Earth’s foundation. Unfortunately, most people today fail to understand this as seen by current reactions to new court rulings in America. And what’s hilarious is that I’m not talking about reactions in America, I’m talking about reactions in Canada. Nevertheless, let’s dissect what it really means in Ephesians 1:4.

Unwanted

“An unplanned child is an unwanted child” is a lie that soaks the mindsets of more than half the population today. And if you want my opinion regarding the legitimacy of that statement, it’s a resounding NOOOO!

John 8:44 (World English Bible)
44 You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

Very clearly, Lord Jesus spoke to the people of His day and age regarding their hesitation to align with the Truth. He pointed out that they were not children of God but were instead children of the devil.

A child resembles their father and in the same way, many people today resemble in nature their spiritual father, the devil. That’s why our culture is ripe with lies killing people from the inside out. But unlike Christ, the devil does not love his children as is more than obvious when observing the state of our world.

But Lord Jesus loves this world even if the majority hates Him to the core. Yes, He is not the father of those who do not believe in Him. However, He calls for them to be His children. He is more than willing to adopt people so as long as they surrender their lives to Him. They only need to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

The God Who Knew You Very Much Loves You

And this ties into my initial point. Christ loves everyone so that even if a pregnancy is unplanned, that unborn child is dearly beloved by God. There is truly no one who is unwanted in God’s sight. That is why Apostle Paul was inspired by Holy Spirit to write the following verse.

Ephesians 1:4 (King James Version)
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

To those who are willing to accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour, your destiny was already determined. God decided that He would select you, the Church to be His and that He would pay the wages.

Our sin earned us death. That’s why Christ suffered the death we deserved at the cross. He did it because He loves us! He truly is the God who knew you even before your birth. Your value as a human being predates your parents’ decisions, it lies in the heart of God.

Romans 5:8 (World English Bible)
8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The Scales Have Fallen!

Yet, our naturalistic and now-focused mentality as a generation has confused us. The god of this world aka “satan” has blocked the world from seeing the truth and freedom found in Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (World English Bible)
4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

It breaks my heart when Christians have to be careful with their words so much so that they cannot speak the truth of God’s love. And I’m not talking of a wishy-washy love with no substance.

I’m talking of the love of God, the love that never ends, the love that stands in unison with the truth, upheld by godly conviction. This love shatters lies and yet its most rudimentary principles are so rejected by the world that we fail to agree on life’s sanctity.

To those who are reading this post and have not accepted Christ, please for your sake, pray to the God of Heaven and ask Him if He really is Lord Jesus Christ. Your prayer won’t be left unanswered. Behold the God of the Bible and when you see Christ in the New Testament, your Spirit will be revived.

All of a sudden, your spiritual eyes will see clearly, similar to what Saul experienced when He came to Christ.

Acts 9:18
18 Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

There is no greater love that can be found aside from the love of God revealed in the Holy Bible. And there, Christ stands with open arms yearning for you to realize your value in His eyes and to not only know He is the God who knew you but the God who knows you.

The God Betrayed Many Times Over

When it comes to betrayal and Bible, the first person who generally comes to mind is Judas Iscariot. He’s the one who betrayed Lord Jesus in exchange for money. But God did not have to come to Earth as a human being in order to be betrayed. He’s actually been betrayed many times throughout the Bible. Now, I’ve talked about how God conquered betrayal in this linked post, but, consider this post a sequel which will focus more on another aspect of betrayal.

A Wicked People

The people of Israel shown in the book of Exodus and the way they behave are generally thought to represent human nature. And the scary thing about human nature is that the human nature depicted in Exodus is generally not positive.

One observation that’s enough to summarize the fabric of people in Exodus is the following verse.

Jeremiah 17:9 (King James Version)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

The interesting thing noted in the above verse is not that the human heart is wicked. No, no, no… Rather, it’s the idea that the heart is desperately wicked. What this means is that the human heart by nature is doomed to be wicked, it has no choice but to be evil.

And so, that is why after God brought Egypt to its knees in order to rescue Israel from its slavery, they started participating in idol worship.

Exodus 32:1 (King James Version)
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Betrayed Many Times

God was so angered with Israel that He told Moses that He should start over again by destroying them.

Exodus 32:9-11 (World English Bible)
Yahweh said to Moses, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people. 
10 Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.”
11 Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 

God used this opportunity to express His anger against Israel to the point of destroying them but He knew Moses would plea for Israel. Thus, even though God said He would destroy Israel, He also knew Moses would ask Him to not destroy Israel. This means that He was only expressing His rage at Israel’s betrayal.

Exodus 32:12-13 (World English Bible)
12 Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘He brought them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth?’ Turn from your fierce wrath, and turn away from this evil against your people. 
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’”
14 So Yahweh turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people.

Redeeming Love

However, God was betrayed many times and this was not going to be the last. Israel kept on complaining about God and were never truly appreciative of what He did for them.

Now, up until this point, it’s often misunderstood that God is just angered by Israel’s betrayal. Although true, this is not the only aspect of betrayal experienced by God. He also seems to be hurt by Israel’s betrayal.

Let it be clear, however, that whenever I say God was “hurt” by Israel’s betrayal, it means that He was disappointed in the love reciprocated towards Him despite His care for Israel. This perspective is made clear by the book of Hosea.

In the Book of Hosea, God tells Prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute in order to prophetically depict God’s relationship with Israel. And this is where God really shows Israel the emotional side of how their betrayal has affected Him.

Hosea 1:2-3 (World English Bible)
When Yahweh spoke at first by Hosea, Yahweh said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of prostitution and children of unfaithfulness; for the land commits great adultery, forsaking Yahweh.” So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived, and bore him a son.

Redeeming Love Continued

Furthermore, Gomer betrays Hosea and has affairs with other men. But, see the comparison God makes between Gomer and Israel in the following passage.

Hosea 3:1-3 (World English Bible)
Yahweh said to me, “Go again, love a woman loved by another, and an adulteress, even as Yahweh loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods, and love cakes of raisins.” So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley. I said to her, “You shall stay with me many days. You shall not play the prostitute, and you shall not be with any other man. I will also be so toward you.”

This passage shows God is hurt by idol worship as a husband is hurt by adultery. And even then, God still loves those who betray Him as He tells Hosea to bring Gomer back.

Now, as of the time this post is being published, a movie has been released called Redeeming Love. It claims to be a retelling of Hosea, but, according to the summary I read, it can’t be. This is because the movie is about a helpless girl who is forced to sell her body.

But, that is not what the book of Hosea is about, it’s about a man who loves His wife despite her willingly betraying him. It’s about God loving a people who willingly betray Him by worshipping other false gods.

Conclusion

Now, you may have been betrayed many times by other people. But you must know that God has been betrayed many times more than you. Even today, God blesses people and they forget Him once they’ve received His blessings.

Yet, the real question is if you have betrayed God? I know I have. I’ve done terrible deeds which prove the wickedness of the human heart. I didn’t love Him first, but He loved me first.

1 John 4:10 (World English Bible)
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

And yet, He forgave me and He is always there for me even when I’m at fault. Moreover, I reciprocate His love as I love Him for how good He has been to me. Therefore, if you’ve betrayed God whether it be by idolizing money or other gods, the one true God, Lord Jesus Christ awaits your return to His loving embrace.

Feeling Valued by the Heavenly Father

Feeling valued is a privilege now that I think about it. Nevertheless, I am blessed with family who cares for and loves me. But, my mind always strays to think of those who don’t feel like they have any significance. Even more so, what about those whose parents mistreat them or those who are the object of deep betrayal by those whom they trusted most. Now, from what I can tell, most people have family who care about them. But, I feel that the Spirit of God wants me to write this post to address those who feel like no one cares about them. Even if not applicable to you, this post shows the Christian perspective and how God views it. So continue reading.

Why Do People Like Feeling Valued?

When I say “feeling valued” is something which people want, I’m saying people want significance. They want to be important to at least someone in this world.

And we see this motive manifested in all sorts of people. A lot of people go into romantic relationships and start a family just to have this feeling. Others do the opposite, they focus on their careers and sacrifice family time for the sake of building a legacy. And it is through legacy, that these people share their value with others, even future generations.

Even more, this feeling must be met by young children for healthy development. It is often said by psychologists and anyone who’s a good parent, that children need to feel loved.

All of the scenarios shows how people do things just to be valued by others whether it be one’s family members or society itself.

But why do we have this feeling? From where does this need arise? I believe this feeling comes from an instinct we need as highly social creatures.

It comes from the fact that we were created to have fellowship with Our Heavenly Father.

Genesis 3:8 (World English Bible)
8 They heard Yahweh God’s voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.

After the creation of humanity, God walked in the Garden of Eden on what seems to be a regular basis. In fact, it seems he wanted to walk with Adam and Eve. God had created them with the intention of communion. He wanted to interact and have a relationship with us.

And so, God created us with this social nature. He designed us to have this desire to be wanted by others. He wrote it into our DNA.

What Does God Think of Me?

For most of us, the ultimate indicator of feeling valued comes from the people we first meet. Our parents. It is often our parents who show us that they love us. However, unlike most, there are some parents who are not emotionally expressive. And some rare cases are manipulative or abusive to their God-given children.

But even for these children, what does God think of them?

Isaiah 49:15 (World English Bible)
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
    that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Yes, these may forget,
    yet I will not forget you!

God rhetorically asks if a mother, the symbol of ultimate human affection, can forget her baby. And yet, God, responds to His own question that even though she forget her child, never can the heart of God forget that child.

Proverbs 22:2 (World English Bible)
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
    Yahweh is the maker of them all.

No matter the condition you’re born in, no matter who loves you in this world, God loves you.

Feeling Valued by God

Let me share this one case from the Bible where God promised Abraham that he would have many children despite his old age. However, Sarah, Abraham’s wife, told Abraham to have children with Hagar, her servant so that he might have an heir. And Hagar did give birth to a child, Ishmael, but, so did Sarah and her child, Isaac is the result of God’s promise.

So, long story short, Hagar’s son was mocking Sarah but Sarah wouldn’t have it so she kicked both Ishmael and his mother out and into the wilderness.

Now, the point I want to make here is that Ishmael was ultimately what we would consider a mistake. He was the result of Abraham producing a child out of fear that he wouldn’t have an heir. Ishmael was the consequence of Abraham’s disobedience to God.

But what was God’s response?

Genesis 21:17-20 (World English Bible)
17 God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him with your hand. For I will make him a great nation.” 19 God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and as he grew up, he became an archer.

God cared about what we as humans would consider a mistake. Even if that boy was the result of disobedience to His plan, God still loved the boy. And He blessed that boy, when Abraham couldn’t be a father, God became his father.

Psalm 68:5 (World English Bible)
5 A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows,
    is God in his holy habitation.

Let me conclude with this. No matter what’s your origin story, God loves you. Moreover, the real question is asked by Lord Jesus.

Matthew 16:15
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

My answer is the same as Peter’s and if your answer is the same, then, I know you’ll get the same response as Lord Jesus gave to Peter.

Matthew 16:16-17
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

So if you like feeling valued, don’t hope in human beings to provide you that comfort. Rather, place everything in God’s hands and let Him love you. If God loves you, it doesn’t matter if the whole world hates you, when He’s on your side, that’s enough.

If you don’t already have a relationship with God, then, please read my advice concerning that here.

Who Really Is the Captain of Your Boat?

You’ve got to know the captain of your boat. What I mean by this is that all of us are led to make the decisions we make, to feel the emotions that grip us, and to act the way we act. And if you don’t know who’s driving your life or who is controlling you, you’ll never be free to think or act the way that most benefits you. Please continue reading to find out who truly is the captain of your boat.

A Glance at Your Life

First, you may want to know that your life is controlled by someone. As I’ve already made abundantly clear in the introduction, your life is never out of control. It may be in chaos, but ultimately, there’s someone responsible for that chaos. Your life is always in control although potentially unsatisfactory.

Galatians 6:5 World English Bible (WEB)
For each man will bear his own burden.

There’s a responsibility that ought to be taken. If you find yourself in drug addiction, you didn’t just end up there, you made decisions that led you to that point. And the same goes for one who’s found financial success through discipline as well as wise decision making. So, look at your life, and you will clearly see who I call the captain of your boat.

Concludingly, it is quite easy to realize who is the captain of your boat by glancing at your life.

Everyone’s got a captain for their boat. And in this post, I want to focus on three sorts of captains. The three possible captains in charge of your life are the following: you, the devil, or the Spirit of Lord Jesus Christ.

And it’s time, you find out which of those three captains belong to you because until you know who’s your captain, you’ve got no control over where your life’s headed. Your life could be headed for disaster for all you know, unless you truly meet the captain of your boat.

John 13:16 World English Bible (WEB)
16 Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him.

As the Lord Jesus Christ says in the scripture above, a servant is only as great as his master. In the same way, your ability is limited by the one leading your life. And it is absolutely imperative that you understand this lest you become ignorant of where you’re headed.

Two Phony Captains

Now, of the three possible captains, two of them come as a package. I label them as the two phony captains. And please make a note that these two captains come as a package, they don’t come separately.

These two possible captains are known as you and the devil. Unfortunately, it is quite the challenge to discern these two fellows. Most of the time, people mistake their captain as only themselves.

Furthermore, people often believe that their captain is them. These people often make statements such as, “I am the captain of my boat, I make my own decisions and I’m proud of them.”  or, “don’t tell me what to do because I’m capable of anything when I put my mind to it.”

However sincere these people may be, they are naive. They don’t understand that if they alone claim the rights to their life, they are actually under the influence of a demonic authority. And do you know why?

It’s because demonic spirits are extremely effective when it comes to convincing anyone that they’re on your side. The thoughts you hear in your head are all too often not yours. And so, there are two phony captains whom you can choose to be the captain of your boat. You, and ultimately, the devil.

No one ever actually says, “huh, I think it’s a good idea to ask an ancient demon to be my captain.” Rather, people fall into the trap of thinking that they alone control their life when in actuality, there’s much more going on behind the scenes.

Ephesians 6:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The One Worthy of Being the Captain of Your Boat

Therefore, I make my plea to you so that you ask one person to be the captain of your boat. Ask Lord Jesus Christ to be the captain of your boat. He alone should guide and uphold your life.

The Word of God promises you that Lord Jesus Christ will never lead you to disaster. Instead, He will lead you to peace, blessings, and an established legacy.

Isaiah 46:4 World English Bible (WEB)
Even to old age I am he,
    and even to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear.
    Yes, I will carry, and will deliver.

But, to make Lord Jesus Christ your captain, you’ve only got to do one thing. It’s simple and let’s not complicate it. That one thing is to surrender to Him.

God came down to Earth in the form of a human being, Lord Jesus Christ. He healed the sick, showed God’s heart for people, and blessed everyone He interacted with. Religious leaders could not tolerate His truth nor His goodness and so, decided to twist the ancient Roman government’s arm to crucify Lord Jesus Christ.

Moreover, God decided to let Himself experience hell on Earth by being crucified in the flesh so that when you put your trust on Lord Jesus Christ, the hell you deserved would no longer await you.

Lord Jesus Christ died for you to give you hope and a new life. And when you entrust Him with your life, He will not disappoint. Just accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and surrender all of your life to Him.

James 4:10 World English Bible (WEB)
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Allow His Spirit to lead you and be sensitive to what He says in the Bible. To every gentle steer, He makes, yield to Him.

Romans 8:14 King James Version (KJV)
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Seeing Everyone As Opportunities to Bless

The big question of the day, or rather… this post, is how do you see people? How we see people determines a lot about what others see in us. That is why I making the goal of this post to convince you to start seeing everyone as opportunities to bless. You will see improvements in your life, in your relationships, in your reputation, and more, if you take this wisdom to heart.

Distorted Perspectives

The first thing you ought to know is that our perspective on others may indicate something about us. If you’re really honest with yourself, you’d see how easy it is to judge others, to rely upon baseless biases, and more.

The point is that we’re not perfect. And the last thing we should do is claim to be perfect. We’ve been trained by our culture, by our family, by our traditions, and more, to think in ways which don’t make sense.

Mark 7:9 World English Bible (WEB)
He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

Now, the Bible is pretty clear on the cost of such worldly traditions, too.

Proverbs 14:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 There is a way which seems right to a man,
    but in the end it leads to death.

Did you catch that? If you didn’t, let me point it out to you. The scripture above states that the ways of man which seem right, lead unto death.

That’s a bit frightening. And it is as true as it is terrifying. The wrong thinking and the wrong perspective can lead you in the direction opposite to the blessings and life which God has in plan for you.

Racism is an all-too-common example of the ramifications brought upon mankind when a deadly mindset is accepted.

Racism is a way in which arrogant people view others as inferior due to a difference in skin colour, and so, this mindset leads to the mistreatment of others as well as the darkening of one’s own soul. And racism surely has led to death every single time it’s been accepted by human beings.

A manipulator who cheats on their spouse is another example of distorted perspectives. When one sees people as opportunities to please one’s self and doesn’t understand the value of faithfulness, their life is headed towards destruction.

A Transformation of Perspective

So, there needs to be a shift in the way you think. For so long, we have based our values, perspectives, and ideals on what our world has given us.

But, the Bible clearly points out that the world’s standard of good is not God’s ideal. Our world was never supposed to be based on slogans like “survival of the fittest,” or “winning the rat race.”

We were never supposed to view other people as subjects of manipulation or exploitation. The thought of taking advantage of vulnerable people never came across the most precious mind of God.

Yet, it’s a thought that repeats itself within the minds of those who embrace the world’s standard of good. That is why there is so much corruption, injustice, and evil that persists in every nation.

Romans 5:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 Therefore as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; so death passed to all men, because all sinned.

But instead, how does God want us to treat people?

Mark 9:35 King James Version (KJV)
35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Lord Jesus Christ said we ought to serve others, to love them, and to treat them well. This doesn’t mean we need to be a doormat for others to exploit. Instead, Lord Jesus means that we’re supposed to respect and love others as God loves us.

How do you know that God loves you? He showed His love to you on the cross. God came down in the flesh as Lord Jesus Christ and people hated His ministry of compassion, so, they, with all the religious teachers decided to crucify Him.

Seeing Everyone as Opportunities to Bless

Yet, this was all part of God’s plan so that through Him bearing your punishment, you would no longer suffer hell because of His sacrifice. Therefore, you only need to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour as a way of accepting His love as well as transformative grace.

Romans 10:9-10 King James Version (KJV)
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

I talk more about God’s salvation plan for humanity in this post.

Ask God for the grace to start seeing everyone as opportunities to bless. God calls us to be generous, to give unto the poor, to always be helpful to those who are in need of aid, and more.

We ought to follow the example of Christ. There should not be any hint of selfishness as selfishness is what leads people to throw others under the bus for their own benefit.

John 13:15 World English Bible (WEB)
15 For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you.

Furthermore, we were all headed down the path to God’s fierce judgment and wrath as God is holy and must rightfully punish people like us for the things we’ve done wrong. However, God is a God of love. He decided to let Himself be destroyed that we may be made alive.

Therefore, place your faith in the finished work of Lord Jesus Christ. Diligently read the Bible and see Christ’s example to us as we learn to serve others and be a blessing to everyone we meet. Fix your eyes upon Lord Jesus; you’ll start seeing everyone as opportunities to bless.

Treating All With The Same Heart

If there’s anything by which we measure others by, it’s the measure of character. Those with great character naturally attract people around them. And people are especially mesmerized by those who treat others with fairness, kindness, and compassion. Treating all with the same heart isn’t necessarily easy. That is why I’ll be talking about fairness, kindness, and compassion, as well as how they pertain to one’s character and one’s heart.

Treating All With Fairness

First of all, it is vital to treat everyone you know with fairness. Treating all with fairness means that you see people, not through the lens of their varying differences; rather, you see them through the fact that they’re made in God’s image.

Why does God want us to treat others with fairness? It’s because we don’t have the right to treat others in any other way. And that’s because, without Christ, we’re all failures. We’ve all made mistakes, we’ve all lied, and we’ve all done things contrary to the pure nature of God.

I don’t even need to prove the above point because even you know you’re not perfect. To think anything different would be foolish or dishonest.

Ephesians 2:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

And our imperfectness does not allow us to enter the Heaven of a perfect God, so what God did was that He came to Earth as a human, Lord Jesus Christ. He did miracles, healed the sick, and preached about the kingdom of God.

But, religious hypocritical people hated Him for His integrity and authority, so they led the ancient Roman Government to crucify Him two millennia ago.

However, Lord Jesus Christ allowed the pain to come upon Him for a reason. That reason was to atone as a sacrifice in our place. This means that whosoever accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour will be saved.

That is why whether rich or poor, sick or healthy, smart or silly, Lord Jesus wants us to treat each other the same. He died for all, and He rose again after 3 days to live for all.

James 2:8-9 World English Bible (WEB)
However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”Leviticus 19:18 you do well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

Treat All With Kindness

Next up is kindness. Kindness is beautiful. There’s no better way to describe it. We, as people, are naturally attracted to those who show kindness. The reason for that is because God is kind, and, although we may not be kind, ourselves, we still like its nature as God created us in His image.

To be kind, according to the Bible, means to go out of your way to honour another individual.

A prime example of a kind man is Boaz.

Ruth 2:8-10 World English Bible (WEB)
Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go to glean in another field, and don’t go from here, but stay here close to my maidensLet your eyes be on the field that they reap, and go after them. Haven’t I commanded the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink from that which the young men have drawn.”
10 Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take knowledge of me, since I am a foreigner?”

Boaz heard of Ruth, a widow distantly related to him, and he let her work in his fields. But, he was a kind man loved by all his workers. When Ruth started working for Boaz, Boaz ensured that she had access to water, his other workers would not bother her, and that she worked in an area which was best suited for her.

Boaz went out of his way to ensure that Ruth was well-taken care of. Later on, the Biblical story progresses to the point of Ruth and Boaz marrying and eventually becoming the great grandparents of the renowned King David.

Ephesians 4:32 King James Version (KJV)
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Likewise, be kind to others. Go out of your way to make sure that everyone is treated properly. Treat your parents with kindness, treat your siblings with kindness, and treat your spouse with kindness. Kindness must be shown to those you know before it is appealing to those you don’t know.

This kindness within Boaz was apparent not only to Ruth but also to his long-time employees hence why they loved him.

Ruth 2:4 World English Bible (WEB)
Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “May Yahweh be with you.” They answered him, “May Yahweh bless you.”

Treating All With Compassion

Finally, make sure that you’re treating all with compassion.

Ephesians 4:32 King James Version (KJV)
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

The word translated as “tenderhearted” above also translates as “compassionate” in other translations. But, the actual word for it is “eusplagchnos” which is a combination of the Greek words, “eu” and “splagchnos.”

“Eu” is a Greek word God uses in the Bible to describe a servant pleasing his master. The word in the below passage underlined and bolded is the English word for “eu.”

Matthew 25:20-21 King James Version (KJV)
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

The next part of the word, “splagchnos,” literally translates as “inward parts” or “guts or bowels.” Now, this word may be referring to emotions that comes from the deepest level of one’s emotions.

To give you an idea of what this word means in context, here is an example of a verse where I underlined and bolded the word for “splagchnos.”

Philemon 12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,

So, when you put together the words “eu” and “splagchnos,” you get”eusplagchnos,” which translates as compassionate or tenderhearted.

Why am I saying this? It’s because compassion comes from a deep part within you and it desires something good for the subject of the emotion.

God’s compassion for us is genuine and gut-deep so that He desires good for us and will do something to make His desired good happen within our lives.

Therefore, show this same compassion to others and reflect the love of God. And treating all with fairness, kindness, and compassion is an expectation from Lord Jesus Christ. If you lack any of these, remember God’s love for you.

Remember His fairness to you where He is a fair judge.

Also, remind yourself of His kindness and His compassion towards you by dying in your place and blessing you.

Let these memories of God’s love motivate you to reflect His attributes. And let His Word, the Holy Bible, inspire you to practice His everlasting goodness within your life. Show fairness to everyone around you. Don’t treat any group of people less than another group of people.

Be kind and do everything you can to help others around you. And show compassion by asking God for a restoring love coming from within yourself, which yearns to bless those around you. In conclusion, make sure that you’re treating all with fairness, kindness, and compassion.

How to Fear the Lord According to the Bible

The word “fear,” has an predominantly negative connotation in today’s world. And what I mean by that is that if someone was to randomly scream the word, “fear,” in a room with people, some negative image will come to the minds of every person in that room. But then, what does it mean to fear God? And how to fear God? This question will be the focus of this post, so continue reading.

Who is God?

Does the fear of God mean to be terrified by Him? Before I tackle this question, let me clarify some things as I don’t want to cause any confusion in this post.

The God I’m talking about is the God of the Bible. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the God who came down to Earth 2000 years ago as Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus Christ healed the sick, freed the demon-possessed, and performed miracles, too many to count.

John 21:25 King James Version (KJV)
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

And how did the people of that time treat Lord Jesus Christ? Well, the religious leaders got jealous of Lord Jesus and they used the people’s herd mentality to pressure the ancient Roman government of that time to crucify Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 23:23 King James Version (KJV)
23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

But, do not think for a second that this event was unforeseen by God. No, on the contrary, God knew that people are corrupted, and He allowed Himself to be tortured and crucified by His own people.

The reason for this is because you and I have all sinned. We’ve all messed up somewhere in our lives. And since God is holy and perfect, He cannot let us into Heaven because we are imperfect.

Thus, we need atonement. That atonement is Lord Jesus Christ dying on the cross for you and me. When He bore hell on Earth at the cross of Calvary, we can accept His sacrifice, and forfeit the destruction awaiting us in our afterlife. He is the God I am talking about and the only God who I know. So, if you haven’t already, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

John 14:6 World English Bible (WEB)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

Terrified by the Lord?

Now, to actually deal with the question, what does it mean to fear God?

Genesis 20:10-11 World English Bible (WEB)
10 Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?” 11 Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’

Well, it certainly doesn’t mean to be terrified or petrified by Him! I mean, look at the first time this phrase is used in an English translation of the Bible.

The first time this phrase was used in the Bible was in the above verse, where Abraham hid the fact that he was Sarah’s husband to Abimelech since Abraham thought there was no fear of God in Abimelech’s domain.

Does this mean that Abraham was scared to tell Abimelech that he was Sarah’s husband because Abimelech was not terrified by God? No, it means that according to Abraham, Abimelech did not care about God’s laws or respect God.

But, let me get this straight. If there’s anyone you should be terrified of, it’s God, and God alone. Now, I want you to read this slowly, otherwise, you will get really confused.

God does not want you to be terrified of Him. God does not want you to see Him as a danger. But, if you should be scared of anything or anyone, God is at the top of the list, not the devil. And that is because God is the most powerful being to exist.

So, if you’re thinking of going against God or doing something evil to another person, prepare yourself for the consequences. God looks for everyone’s best interest, and He will stop evil through whatever means necessary.

Matthew 10:28 King James Version (KJV)
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

This should give you confidence because if God is on your side, then there’s absolutely no one to fear. Even after death, Heaven awaits you.

Continuing on, the fear of God is when you respect Him as your God. When you respect Lord Jesus Christ as your God, you will have convictions that restrain you from doing things He does not like.

Deuteronomy 10:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

How to Fear God

So, how do you fear God? You fear God by respecting Him and obeying Him.

Psalm 33:8 World English Bible (WEB)
Let all the earth fear Yahweh.
    Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

To fear God means to stand in awe of Him. By standing in awe of Him, I mean to be in a state where you marvel at the goodness and love of God.

To fear God means to honour His love for you, and turn away from evil. Don’t do bad things because they benefit or pleasure you, turn away from them because God loves you!

Proverbs 3:7 King James Version (KJV)
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Furthermore, God blesses those who fear Him. When you decide to respect God, God will make sure that you lack nothing in your life.

Psalm 34:9 World English Bible (WEB)
Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints,
    for there is no lack with those who fear him.

And another thing that comes with fearing Him, is wisdom. Once you commit to honouring God above all else, God will give you the wisdom that is relevant in your situation.

Psalm 111:10 World English Bible (WEB)
10 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
    All those who do his work have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!

So, what’s the conclusion? Fear God by honouring and respecting Him. And turn away from ways which you know aren’t right because ultimately, God loves you.

The Benefits of Forgiveness in a World of Grudges

Why forgive? What’s in it for me? These are questions that I’ll be dissecting in this blog through a spiritual and mental health lens. The questions spring up from a common mentality within humans from all backgrounds, regardless of ethnicity, upbringing, or any other classifying factor. So, continue reading to learn of the benefits of forgiveness and if one should forgive others.

A World of Grudges?

Yes, our world is mainly a world of grudges. Our world is not in its prime state and people often struggle with forgiving those who do wrong. We often find ourselves saying things like “Don’t get mad, get even,” or “I’ll show you a piece of me.” And sadly, this is what the world considers as “natural,” or “normal.”

2 Corinthians 4:4 King James Version (KJV)
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The Bible drives home the fact that many in this world are blind. And the Bible says that the “god of this world” has blinded them.

This title is just another label for the devil, a being whose wickedness and bitterness blinds the hearts of those who have not yet witnessed the love of Christ.

However, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who made this world and designed your very DNA, is the one who loves you.

John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

He came down in the flesh as Lord Jesus Christ and was led to crucifixion by jealous, hypocritical religious leaders who hated Lord Jesus for healing the sick, loving the scum of the earth, and saving the damned.

Furthermore, your hell met Jesus Christ at the cross so His Heaven could meet you when you allow Him into your life as Lord and Saviour. And after three days in burial, Lord Jesus Christ rose again, victoriously conquering death in your place.

The Benefits of Forgiveness

Accepting Lord Jesus Christ means He forgave your sins, so why not learn from Him how to forgive your debtors.

Colossians 3:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Plus, it’s not like forgiveness is without benefits. Forgiving others does benefit you and that’s the truth.

One might ask, “Well how does forgiving the rascal help me?”

Here’s how…

Forgiveness allows you to preserve relationships that might turn out helpful in the future.

Psalm 133:1 King James Version (KJV)
133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Forgiveness pleases God as God is forgiving.

Colossians 3:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Forgiveness grants you the chance to imitate your Heavenly Father.

Ephesians 5:1 World English Bible (WEB)
5 Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.

Forgiveness relieves you the burden of bearing a grudge, and grudges are an opportunity for the devil to harm you.

2 Corinthians 2:10-11 World English Bible (WEB)
10 Now I also forgive whomever you forgive anything. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Remember, the benefits of forgiveness I just listed are only a fraction of the many reasons to forgive others. I just listed the ones I could think of at the moment. Nevertheless, I hope that the last reason especially caught your eye.

As the truth is that holding grudges is an opportunity for the devil (Satan) to wreak havoc in your life.

That is why in the above Bible verse, Paul decided to forgive everyone. This doesn’t mean you have to trust people you’ve forgiven which I talk about in this post. But, Paul did not want the devil to take advantage of any unforgiveness.

Motives of the Heart

So, if someone hurt a loved one of yours, or embarrassed you in some way or manner, just let it go. Also, I am not belittling their mistakes or your loss, but, I am recommending forgiveness for your sake.

Again, this does not mean you need to trust the person you’ve forgiven, it just means you need to let go of the grudge you hold against him/her.

And, now, I want you to change the way you think. If you’re forgiving others for your own benefit, that’s good, but, if you’re forgiving others because you understand God’s love for them and you want to share with that lost person the forgiving love of God, that’s admirable.

1 Corinthians 16:14 World English Bible (WEB)
14 Let all that you do be done in love.

However, whatever the motive behind your forgiveness, the main thing is that you forgive the person. I was just offering a tidbit of advice if you’re ready for it.

2 Corinthians 3:18 King James Version (KJV)
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Therefore, relieve others of the sins they’ve done unto you and make the decision to forgive others. You don’t need to feel anything out of your forgiveness, you just need to decide to forgive.

Ephesians 4:32 King James Version (KJV)
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.