"Issumagijoujungnainermik"

I promise I didn't just start hitting the keyboard for my title. Would you believe this is a word?...in the Eskimo language.

Have you ever struggled to forgive someone for something? Of course you have - if you are human. Which, if you are reading this right now, I assume you are???

I have. I've been hurt. You've been hurt. We've all had our hearts broken here and there. Little things, big things. Looking back...extremely stupid things. But many things.

It is so easy to say you forgive someone, but then run into them somewhere or have someone mention the situation and everything comes right back. Then, you think about it and talk about it and before you know it, you realize you've slowly but surely become bitter. Oooh and bitterness - well, that's just a word that you don't want to mess with.

I can honestly say that I've never hated anyone. That is way too strong of an emotion and no one and nothing is worth my missing eternity in Heaven over. But, I've been hurt before...and when I've taken too long to deal with that hurt, in turn I've become bitter.

My point here...

"Issumagijoujungnainermik" - in the Eskimo language means - "not being able to think about it anymore." ~ Forgiveness. What release you feel when your heart is troubled over something and suddenly you don't think of it anymore. You have chosen to forgive. It's like a weight has lifted off of your chest. I've been there. I've experienced issumagijoujungnainermik first-hand. Haven't you? Aren't we offered unlimited issumagijoujungnainermik each day of our lives? What does the Bible say?...70 X 7...Christ forgives continually and then He thinks of it NO MORE.

Genuine forgiveness is about moving on, and refusing to think anymore about what happened.

As Christians, we are called to be like Christ. That is a hard path to walk, but it is a choice that we must make daily, hourly sometimes. Paul said, "Forgive...because the Lord forgave you."

Has someone offended you? Talked about you? Stabbed you in the back? Have you been hurt by a friend, a loved one, or had your heart broken by a spouse? Whatever your hurt may be, choose forgiveness. That doesn't mean it will never cross your mind. That doesn't even mean the situation won't still bother you. I can assure you, that in some circumstances, it will. But, by forgiving, you are allowing Christ to work in your life and in turn, He will show you some powerful and mighty things. Who knows more about forgiveness...or issumagijoujungnainermik than He does? He forgave all of our sins and relieved us from all of our debts before we even existed? He died so you would be forgiven.

Take the high road today. You won't be walking it alone.