09/06/2019
Good evening brothers in christ.
I would like to share my testimony with you hoping God can touch on someone's heart who was like me and live a better life with out bitterness which can be a trap to their own lives.
During my stay at the church for a long time, i attended a series of Bible studies especially the discipleship training courses. I hard always had a weakness once am wronged and lose my peace, it was difficult for me to forgive. I hated with passion talking about me especially making false accusations and circulating rumors about me. But after a series of study, i came to believe that i can forgive. I became so free and open to everyone and whenever anything evil done to me, i would just say have forgiven you and it was so. In fact a Time came and thought to myself i can no longer be provoked to anger, i can forgive anyone anytime anywhere regardless of what she or he has done to me.
Unfortunately after some time, i was annoyed beyond repair by some statements and rumors that were circulating about me. This i never thought before it could happen to me for i served with royalty being one raised in a decent home with values. Nevertheless i was talked of, as one who robbed even after giving a clear explanation which could be even seen by a child. This killed me that i hated so much to the extent that every time i would see someone i felt bitterness and pain in my heart. I could attend church, but leave the someway i came. This made me feel, a wasting of my time coming to church for prayers and service.
So i decided once in a while to go elsewhere for church and prayers. Its so sad, i remained empty because anger had consumed me and broken to pieces. I dropped all my responsibilities and walked away. In me a sense of taking revenge was developed and convinced myself, that if am to feel good and comfortable again i must take revenge.
Gracious i remembered the word of God which says " Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge;" Rom 12:19 this helped me to drop the evil that was boiling in me. Furthermore about having no peace at all and hating more than i loved, i remembered a scripture which says "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen". In fact elsewhere its written, "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." In short whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment himself. This verse states that resolving these disputes should take priority over religious rituals. So after realizing this, one Friday i decided to go before God and pour out my heart to him, ask him to help me forgive. Shortly after my prayer, i felt life back in me. My heart which was heavy was lifted high and joy fully restored to me.
This helped me conceptualize the story i heard of a teacher who told his learners each to carry tomatoes everywhere they would go amounting to a number of people each hated in his life. Say for instance if you hated six people you get six tomatoes put them in a kavera and move with it everywhere you go. Shortly the tomatoes started rotting producing a bad smell. To this the learners complained to the teacher about the smell of the tomatoes. The teacher told them they have felt a burden for carrying the tomatoes for just a week and they have never thought how burdened their heart are for carrying hatred always. He further told them to throw away the tomatoes if only they had forgiven those they hated. Hating have learnt, its bothering you self. In fact when you hate, you keep the person in your brain which becomes to much for the brain. But when you love, you keep the person at heart which is health and easy for the heart. Now me i don't know your story and which people you hate and why you hate them. But i know with hatred in your heart God is not with you for God is love.
Simply just go to the father ask him to help you forgive and life in it's fullness will be restored to you
And i pray may this testimony touch on someone's heart who was like me, to be filled with the love of father and forgive what so ever wrong was done to you.
AMEN
