One of our foundations Forgiveness. One of our foundations in Sozo, bringing release to the forgiver, but also seeming to open the forgiven up to a move of God in their lives. I wonder if Stephen’s forgiveness of Saul and his not so merry crew shifted something that allowed Paul’s Damascus Road experience. But speculation aside, even the secular world recognizes the benefit of ‘forgiveness therapy’. Now when people can’t or won’t forgive that’s easy a couple of questions to Father God and they’re usually there. The problem comes, it seems, when people do want to forgive, have forgiven multiple times, and yet still seem to have a problem. You see, we’re all born with a silo inside. Some are huge containers that we choose to fill. The point of it is to hold God’s good stuff, but often we store other things there instead. So yes, we’ve forgiven that person over and over, but just in case we ever get the chance to vindicate ourselves, we put what they did in our silo. Just to be ready. The problem is, that chance usually never comes, and if truth be told, God is a much better vindicator. And all the time it’s there it’s robbing us from real freedom.  So what to do? Well Father God I choose to give up my right to vindicate myself and allow you to vindicate me in your own way and timing. (Code for ‘I’m choosing to trust you instead of taking matters into my own hands) I give you all the rubbish in my silo for you to wash out and fill with your good stuff, and I forgive and release those people.  It is amazing what peace a silo filled with the ‘good stuff’ brings The Importance of Forgiveness Forgiveness is something all of us want to receive but most of us hesitate to give. Jesus makes it clear, however, that we can’t have it without giving it. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14-15). These words allow no room for doubt or discussion. Forgiveness flows two ways. We cannot separate receiving forgiveness from extending forgiveness. Forgiveness is at the core of emotional well-being. It is fair to say that unforgiving people are emotionally sick. Their bitterness is a disease of the spirit, and it is inevitable that the unforgiving person eventually will experience physical illness as well. Anger causes surges of adrenaline and secretes other powerful chemicals that attack the body. The stress we carry when we refuse to give or receive forgiveness affects our hearts, minds, and bodies. To make matters worse, both rage and depression contribute to obsessive behaviours such as overeating, workaholic, overspending, and even addictions to pornography and mood-altering drugs. We cannot rid ourselves of emotional pain and its side effects unless we are willing to forgive. Unresolved anger keeps us from moving forward because it locks us in a time machine, frozen on the exact moment when a particular offence occurred. Fear of further injury makes us unwilling to move to new levels of relationship, not only with those who have hurt us but with anyone who represents a similar threat. Furthermore, if we allow unforgiveness to continue, we are likely to experience depression, bitterness, or both. Yet more important than any of these concerns is the most serious consideration of all—the spiritual consequence of unforgiveness: alienation from God. Forgiveness cannot begin until we admit our own failures. If we cannot do that much, we can neither give nor receive forgiveness. We cannot receive forgiveness without acknowledging our need for it, and we cannot extend forgiveness without admitting that because of our own imperfect condition we have no right to withhold forgiveness from anyone else. For Christians, forgiveness is non-negotiable; it is the very essence of our faith. Obstacles to Forgiveness: Fear or Misconception Fear   The reason many of us refuse to forgive is our fear of loss. And there’s no denying that forgiveness requires us to give up attitudes and actions that are important to us. Fear of Losing the Energy that Anger Produces. Some people are reluctant to let go of the burning energy that rage generates. It’s like a fuel that keeps them moving. Without it they would likely descend into despair and purposelessness because their anger is their purpose. Fear of Losing Leverage in a Relationship. Those who are still smarting from pain are not eager to risk being hurt again. They assumed that if they forgive the guilty party, he or she will feel free to repeat the offense. This brings up an important point: Forgiveness does not guarantee change in the other person's behavior. Forgiveness is an act of obedience, not a tool of manipulation. It is a way of cleaning up the grudges and resentments that damage us. Although we cannot stop people from hurting themselves, we can, in some situations (if we are not legally or morally tied to the offender), guard ourselves against repeated injury. By removing ourselves from the relationship or by changing the rules of engagement, we can limit the person's ability to continue hurtful behavior. Fear of Losing Hope for a Better Relationship. Some people have expectations for friends and family that are too high. As years go by, repeated foolish choices and ongoing evidence of serious character flaws devastate those who expect too much. In such cases, it is necessary to forgive people simply for being who and what they are and to accept that they probably are not going to change. Fear of Losing Power and Control. Refusing to forgive keeps others in our debt. In families, we often see parents who hold some wrong against an adult child, exacting payment in visits, gifts, and favors. Although forgiving feels like an act of surrender, those who've done it know it's an act requiring tremendous strength. Fear of Losing the Image of Superiority. Holding an offense against another person places us in a "good guy, bad guy" picture with ourselves wearing the white hat. Imagining that we are better than others makes us feel good, but such a prideful attitude is unacceptable to God. When we hold people captive to our judgment, we play God in their lives. This places us in an unwinnable wrestling match with our Creator, who, as the apostle James reminded us, "sets himself against the proud" (4:6).