Living Moments (Part 40) – Unleashing Yourself To Fly

by Patrick Liew on July 12, 2012

It was the evening of 1 July 2012, the last evening of my mission trip in Kazakhstan. Many people wanted to have a word with me.

Some wanted my opinion on various issues in their lives. Others needed advice and prayer.

There was a lady with a face painted with sorrow. Over her was a dark overcast that made me feel like she had been suffering for quite some time.

She briefly shared with me about the challenges she was going through in her life. All she wanted was for me to pray for her.

I closed my eyes and asked our Creator to download words of wisdom to me, some comfort that I could offer to her.  Somehow, all I drew was a complete blank. I felt like I was staring into a dark wall.

It was an experience that I’ve never gone through before. After awhile, I opened my eyes.

I turned to the lady, all set to tell her the truth. However, the words that came out from my mouth were not quite what I had expected.

” I just couldn’t pray for you,” I heard myself saying.

“I felt like there were some unfinished business you had to settle within yourself first. Why don’t you sit at the corner and do just that?

“Please be assured I will definitely come back to you before the evening is over.”

She did not go to the corner. She turned around and for a moment, I thought she would leave the hall. She went back to her seat, looking glum.

I then continued to minister to the rest of the people. Every now and then, I would look over my shoulder at her.

I could sense that she was struggling through some deep-seated issues. From the corner of my eye, I saw tears streaming down her cheek

After a time, she came back to me. I felt like the dark clouds had somehow moved away. There was a gleam on her face that I could not describe, a growing hint of hope and optimism.

I asked her a question that was somehow placed in my heart, “Have you forgiven the people who hurt you?”

She replied, “Yes.”

I asked her a second question, “Are you ready to forgive again and again whenever you feel the hurt? Will you let the past go and start anew?”

Her immediate reply was, “Yes.”

I put my hand on her shoulder and prayed for her. I prayed that the shackles of unforgiveness would be released from her. I asked our Creator to help her break the bondage of hurt, resentment and hatred.

When she left me, I felt she was walking lighter than before. She was ready to start a new journey in life.

I believe she was not the only one that found freedom through forgiveness. At the conference, I met many others who experienced a breakthrough by initiating this simple but powerful act for themselves.

On the day before, I sensed a strong prompting to change my speech and share about ‘The Power Of Forgiveness.’ I then checked with various leaders of the community and received the green light to alter my presentation.

How Forgiveness Helped  Me To Soar In Life.

During the session, I shared about a series of immensely difficult actions that I undertook when I was about 40 years old. I felt at that point in time that our Creator wanted me to close all the unclosed files in my life.

I had to forgive all my offenders; everyone for whom I felt a sense of resentment, one at a time. When I completed my difficult task, I felt like a huge stone had rolled off my heart. I had never felt so unburdened before.

Then, I sensed a need to contact the offenders and resolve all unsettled matters. I asked them for their forgiveness, and in turn wished them well and blessed them.

When I finished this tough assignment, again I felt like a boulder had rolled off my back. I felt like I could run like I had never run before.

Finally, I had to forgive myself and reconcile fully with my loved ones and all the key people in my life. When this project finally came to an end, I felt like I could fly.

I have come to realise that unforgiveness is one of the worst emotional illnesses in society. “If this disorder can be released,” someone once told me, “many of the psychological problems can be resolved.”

The Pain Of Unforgiveness.

Unforgiveness brings me back to the offenders that I want to leave behind, and reminds me of the experiences that I want to forget.

When I do not forgive those I feel offended by, I will still be stuck in the past – even though the offender has moved on. Not only will I not have any effect on the offender, I will eventually destroy  myself – even though the offender is no longer present in my life.

As long as I cannot forgive, I cannot truly love, because unforgiveness has no room for love.

If I don’t forgive, I  cannot develop a deeper relationship with my loved ones and  make greater contributions to their lives.

If I don’t forgive, I may be unwittingly teaching my children and grandchildren that hatred and resentment is a part of life.

If I don’t forgive, I cannot set a good example to help them develop a forgiving spirit.

Forgiveness Liberates My Spirit.

The only way to free myself from the emotional prison of unforgiveness is to forgive my offender. I have to forgive him whenever I am reminded of him and whatever wrongs I felt he has committed against me.

I have to forgive him again and again whenever I sense the negative feelings growing in my heart. I will have to continue to do it until the poison of unforgiveness is totally removed from my system.

Forgiveness is for myself and not for the offenders. I have no expectation of any response from them.

I forgive for my sake and for the sake of my loved ones. I forgive so that I can free myself from the prison that I have forged for myself. I forgive to rejuvenate and renew my life.

The Power Of Forgiveness.

Forgiveness is my bridge from a bitter past to a brighter future. The following are some of the benefits of forgiveness.

a. Forgiveness Erases.

Forgiveness helps me remove negativity from the past. It ensures that I do not allow the hurt and abuse to continue to scar me. It removes a roadblock to improving my overall well being. It helps me to move forward – just as my offenders have probably done as well.

b. Forgiveness Encourages.

Forgiveness prevents me from sinking deeper into the hole that resentment digs. It may not help me to forget the past but it can help me to start burying the hurt and the offence of the past. I do not want these negative emotions to sabotage my future.

Forgiveness empties my heart of limiting emotions so that I can refill it with empowering emotions.

c. Forgiveness Enables.

Forgiveness liberates me from negative memories and emotions and helps to improve my self-esteem. I can take better control of my life and be in a better position to contribute to the people around me.

d. Forgiveness Empowers.

Forgiveness helps to free up my mind so that I can think more clearly and make better decisions in my life. As long as I don’t forgive my offender, the hurt will continue to occupy my mind and eventually destroy my heart and spirit. After I have forgiven him, I can have more time, energy and resources to focus on the present and design a better future

e. Forgiveness Enriches.

Forgiveness helps me to turn a negative experience into a learning experience. It can help me to become a stronger and more resilient person. I am better prepared to resolve other challenges in life.

f. Forgiveness Enlightens.

Forgiveness can help me to become a more sensitive, loving and compassionate person. I can better connect with and build closer relationships with others and help turn the world into a better home.

Why Is It So Hard To Forgive?

Simply because forgiveness is for the brave, not the weak. It is the way of the winner, not the loser.

The good news is that our Creator has created us to be brave and to be winners. We need to act on this promise and our potential.

Forgiveness enables us to live a full life and to live life to the fullest. It helps to remove all brokenness and baggage from the past. It empowers the present and enriches the future.

Start forgiving your offenders. It makes a lot of sense.

Go4It!
I hope this message will find a place in your heart.

By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.

Visit my Inspiration blog at http://liewinspiration.wordpress.com/

Visit my Transformation blog at http://hsrpatrickliew.wordpress.com/

Please read them and continue to teach me.

Life is FUNtastic!

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