“I think about God’s grace and goodness to each of us. Amen.
Because He has no favorites. He has no “special ones.” Amen.
He chooses us all. He loves us all. And He forgives us all. Amen.

But for the past few days, I have been thinking about forgiveness about how God truly forgives us when we humbly come to Him and ask for it. Amen. And of course, I’ve been thinking about us and how we choose to forgive… and whether we really do forgive.

Because saying we forgive and actually living it out in our everyday lives are two very different things. We can say it all day long. We can put on huge “fronts,” so to speak, to people, to those who have hurt or offended us and we do this really well. Amen. But at the end of the day, it is still just you and me, alone with our hearts and our minds, dealing with the truth.

Because freedom and liberty lie completely in our choosing to forgive others. Amen. You see, we don’t hurt others by holding on to what they’ve done or said to us the person who is truly hurt is us. Amen. We torment ourselves, and we give the enemy access to areas in our lives that should be gone.

But let’s be honest for a moment are they really gone? Have we really and truly forgiven someone for their trespasses, sins, words, and the hurts they caused? More than likely, that answer is probably a BIG FAT NO!! Amen. Because if we still talk about it, bring it up, cry over it, or give it any yes, any lead way into our lives, then we remain in the hurt, in the pain, in the unforgiveness, and honestly, in bondage.

And most of the time, people stay in that place for the rest of their lives never truly free, just stuck in the hurt and in the mess. And for some, it’s been 10, 20, or even 30 years and for some, even longer than that.

But I was thinking about the Lord and how we are to be like Him in everything. We are to walk as our Father walked here on this earth, and we are to forgive as He forgives us. Because it’s funny how we want others to forget the things we’ve done or said over the years because we all know we’re not perfect (Matthew 5:48, Amen). Only Christ is.

Yet we don’t forgive as Christ Jesus forgives us. Because when the Lord forgives, He also forgets. He tosses our wrongs, our sins, everything we’ve done, into the sea of forgetfulness never to be brought up against us again (Micah 7:19). Amen. What a wonderful thing that is.

But as for us we don’t do that. For many don’t live free lives because they choose not to. For some they haven’t really let go, because they are still crying over hurts and situations that happened years ago. And they walk away from the blessings and gifts that God has given them now because the enemy keeps them busy and entertained with the yesterdays and the yesteryears of their lives to where they never enjoy their days. And what a shame that is. Amen.

So today, I want to challenge us all: have we forgiven others? We say the prayer, I’m sure but do we really hear the words of that prayer?

“Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.”
—Matthew 6:9–13, Amen

Do we forgive others of their trespasses as the Lord has forgiven us? Do we toss them away from us, or do we keep them tucked in the corners of our hearts and minds?

Because if we bring up others’ sins and wrongdoings, then we are no better than the enemy who is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). He is the one who brings up our past sins and mistakes, and we never want to be that person. We want to be free.

We want to live whole, complete, filled lives not wearing masks, not being two-faced, not saying one thing and living another behind closed doors. Not gossiping or talking about others who they are and what they did. Amen.

I’ve come to many crossroads in my life where the Lord wanted Mandi to grow up, to not live in the past, to not be so easily defensive or always on guard. And guess what? He wants you to grow up too and be who He has made you to be. Amen.

The scripture I’ve been living by and truly trying to live out since January is found in Psalms:

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”
—Psalm 19:14

That is not an easy one to live out. Because it’s so easy to get dragged into the talk, dragged into the past, dragged into the mess that the Lord has already delivered and set us free from. But I am learning, and I am trying.

And my whole point is this: be free. Live free. Live whole and complete lives. Don’t speak one way and live another. Amen. Because yes, we may fool people but we will never, ever fool the Lord. He knows us. He knows what we are doing. He knows what we are saying.

My intent is simply for the Lord to be pleased with Mandi. Amen.

Because people are just people they are not the Lord. And we are to live for Him and Him alone, not for people, their opinions, or their thoughts. Just the Lord’s. Amen.

So let us be better than we were yesterday. Amen. Let us live blessed, happy, fulfilled lives the kind of life the Lord our God died so that we could live. Yes, it comes down to the choices and decisions we make daily. And choose ourselves to make. Amen.

And if this devotion hits home for you, then ask the Lord for forgiveness. Ask Him to heal you, ask Him to free you from the past, the mistakes, and the failures, and to help you move forward. Too let go of the hurt and the pain. Amen!

We have one life, and I want to live mine well whole and complete in every area. Amen. And I pray that you do as well.

So don’t grab the bait when the enemy throws it your way because he will. That’s who he is. Instead, choose to give it all to Jesus. Amen.

Worry about nothing, but pray about everything (Philippians 4:6–7). Live whole, peaceful, content-filled lives.

I love the saying that says this, Let the little bird fly over your head don’t let it build a nest.
In other words, don’t let others or your past dictate your future. Amen.

Let the words and the hurts fly over your head. Don’t dwell there. Don’t live there. But much rather simply let it go.
And I mean..let it all go. Hallelujah!”

“For it is in His name, Jesus’ name, that I do ask and pray..Amen and Amen..Be blessed today my dear sweet friends and remember wherever you go and whatever you do, Be a light for our Father, Much love to you all, Mandi ❤️