The Authority of Forgiveness to Change Your Most Difficult Relationship

The Authority of Forgiveness to Change Your Most Difficult Relationship. In our lives, we often face challenges from broken and toxic relationships that seem insurmountable. This article will point you to the path of the miraculous, even in your most difficult relationship. We may struggle with past hurts, present injustices, or feelings of being overwhelmed by the demands of life. It’s easy to feel powerless when circumstances are beyond our control. Yet, as Christians, we are called to remember that God is at work, even in the most difficult situations. He provides us with tools for spiritual victory, and understanding these tools is key to living a life of peace and strength.

The Power of Forgiveness

One of the most profound tools we have is forgiveness. The world often sees forgiveness as a feeling or an emotional release, something you can only do when you feel ready. But in God’s eyes, forgiveness is a choice—a decision of the will. Just as a signature on a car title transfers ownership regardless of your feelings about selling the car, so too does a decision to forgive release the debt of a wound, regardless of your emotions.

Forgiveness is not about forgetting or excusing the offense. It’s about a powerful, deliberate act of your will to release the person who has wronged you. This act frees you, not the offender. The emotional healing often follows the decision. Unforgiveness can grow back like weeds in a garden, and it requires continuous effort to pull them up. Don’t be condemned by your emotions. Instead, focus on the deliberate choice you’ve made and trust that God will heal the emotional wounds over time.

Standing in God-Ordained Authority

There are times when we are faced with ongoing injustices, especially within specific, God-ordained relationships. These are not random encounters but relationships where God has established a bond of accountability. This can be between family members, employers and employees, or even a pastor and their congregation. In these situations, the Bible gives us a powerful form of prayer from Hebrews 13:17: “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give an account. (That’s you – the one that must give an account). Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. (This is the difficult person in your life)”

This verse reveals a profound truth: when an accountability relationship is broken or marred by injustice, we can give an account to God with grief. When we do, God himself goes to work. He puts pressure on the person in the wrong to resolve the situation, even if they have no intention of changing. It’s like God reaching down and turning the globe under their feet so that their very obstinance, which was causing them to walk away from you, now forces them to walk toward you, bringing the situation into compliance with His will. This prayer is not an act of vengeance but a powerful request for God to bring righteousness into a broken relationship.

Summary

Navigating life’s trials requires more than human effort; it demands divine intervention. By embracing forgiveness as a choice of our will and by leveraging the power of God-ordained accountability prayers, we can find peace and see God’s justice at work. Our emotions may not be in line with our spiritual choices, but we are not to be condemned by them. Instead, we are to tend to our souls, pulling the weeds of unforgiveness and standing firm in the authority God has given us. We may face circumstances where human courts or logic fail us, but we are never helpless. God is our ultimate advocate, and through Him, we can find healing and resolution.

Call to Action

• Make a Decision to Forgive: Choose to forgive someone who has hurt you. Write it down as a legal decision of your will and sign your name to it. This act of choice is what God honors.
• Pray with Authority: If you are in a broken, God-ordained accountability relationship, go to the Lord and give an account with grief. Ask Him to put pressure on the situation to bring about His righteousness.
• Tend to Your Soul: Be vigilant against the “weeds” of unforgiveness that may try to grow back. Continually bring these feelings to God, trusting Him to heal the wounds that cause them.
• Pray for a “God-Blessed” Separation: Ask God to bless the person who is causing you grief and to occupy them elsewhere. This prayer is about asking God to move them out of your life in a way that blesses them and gives you peace.
• Trust in God’s Power: Remember that God’s ways are not our ways. His ability to move in a situation and bring about justice transcends human understanding. Stand on His promises, even when you can’t see how they will be fulfilled.