Daily Devotional: Friday, Dec 11

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Healing Family Rifts

Weekend Music links on iTunes: The Time Has Come by Hillsong United ; Angels We Have Heard on High arranged by Chris Tomlin; Cannons by Phil Wickham; From the Inside Out by Hillsong United.

Read: Genesis 39:2-6; Genesis 45:4-5; Jeremiah 29:11

Think: We read in the Old Testament about how Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Was Joseph angry? Yes, but he didn't carry it with him and over and over, just a Scripture says, "The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered".

Let's get real for a minute; there is great benefit to us in forgiving others. Do it for yourself. The Mayo Clinic says by forgiving we reduce stress, lower blood pressure, have fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety and chronic pain and lower our risk of alcohol and substance abuse. Josh Billings (a contemporary of Mark Twain) said, "There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness."

Gary Coxe wrote a book titled Don't Let People Rent Space In Your Head. This is so descriptive of what we do with the hurts from the past. Who are we really hurting? The person who hurt us is likely unaware, has no stress, low blood pressure and we're the ones with all the angst and health issues.

If we go back to the account of Joseph, a man who had every right to never forgive, his position was that only by his being sold into slavery were so many lives saved. Read the full account but especially Genesis 45:4-5.

In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Sometimes we can't understand God's plans and many times His ways are not our ways. That's where the rubber of trust and faith meet the road. If we can assess our past hurts and disappointments in light of Jeremiah 29:11 we can move down the road of forgiveness.

Do: Review your health issues. Is it possible any of them are associated with unforgiveness?

Pray: Lord, I want to be healthy, I want to prosper as Joseph prospered, I want to let go of any unforgiveness in my life and move forward. Help me do that in Jesus name. Amen

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