by Nan Jones   @NanJonesAuthor


Guest Blogger, Asuka Chinonso Igwegbe @igwegbechinonso

I’m delighted to share my friend, Asuka Chinonso Igwegbe, with you. Chinonso and I met on Twitter last spring. He has a heart for leading others in a closer walk with the Lord and helping them over the hurdles life sometimes puts in our paths. Today’s post is about forgiveness. How appropriate to share this message at Christmas, for it’s because of the Christ child who came to earth to bear our sins upon the cross that we can find the grace to forgive those who have hurt us. Chinonso and I pray that the words of his heart will touch you and bring you to a place of healing this Christmas season.

Welcome Chinonso!

Forgiving someone who
hurt you does not mean you later realized the person was right and you were
wrong. It does not show weakness or acceptance of defeat. Forgiving people that
hurt you does not mean you are tired of bearing grudges. When you forgive
someone who wronged you, you are not helping the person, but yourself, because
as long as the grudge is there, it’s a burden to your soul. Forgiving the person
frees your heart from the load you laid on it.

Here is a life
testimony of a lady a preacher shared with us whom God healed of HIV when she decided
to forgive the people that infected her (though it was not that easy to forgive).
She was a decent girl who vowed to remain a virgin til her wedding night. But
during her university days, there was a fateful night some set of cultists
stormed her room and raped her one after another. When she went to hospital, it
was discovered that they infected her with HIV.
She vowed to revenge,
but day after day she was emaciating to the extent that those who knew her
before could not recognize her again. She was nursing a grudge against those people
and determined never to forgive them.
God was so kind to her, There were two Christian brethren that went on hospital visitation in that particular
hospital she was. After preaching to her and were about to pray for her, God spoke
to them not to pray for her until she forgives the cultists. She tried to
convince them to pray but they insisted that until she obeys the instruction,
they would not pray. At this point, she had two options to choose from:
either to harden her heart or to freely forgive those that infected her with
HIV and leave the revenge for God.
She was wrestling with
her mind on whether to forgive or not, she reluctantly made up her mind to forgive
them and that was when they prayed for her. That night, she had a dream where a
man in a white robe appeared to her with a nurse. He gave the nurse something
which she injected in her and both vanished. When she woke up that day, she
started convalescing and her body responding to treatment.
That was when she
started having the joy she lost for a very long time. Everyone around her
noticed dramatic changes in her life. Surprised by the great changes in her,
the doctor conducted series of tests and the tests showed negative and that was
when they knew that God had healed her.
“If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.
~ John 20:23, NIV
You never can tell what
will happen when you forgive people that hurt you. Unforgiving spirit robs you
a lot of things in life. God is not asking who was right or wrong, all He’s
asking you today is to forgive those that hurt you. I know it’s not that easy
to forgive, but ask Him the grace to forgive and He will make it available for
you. God is not asking you to forgive them because they have realized their
mistake, but because forgiveness brings healing. When you forgive, it frees
your heart from the burden you laid on it.

 
Before today ends, make sure you
forgive those that wronged you. Why not pick your phone and call that person to
tell him that you have forgiven him? While there is time, somebody needs your
forgiveness and do that while you still can.

A Tweetable to Encourage Others

How to find healing in forgiveness. Guest, Chinonso Igwegbe @igwegbechinonso shares via @NanJonesAuthor. (click to tweet)

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Meet Chinonso:

 Azuka Chinonso Igwegbe is a Nigerian motivational speaker, a
writer, and a life coach who has a passion in touching lives positively
in any possible way, especially through writing and speaking. He has
authored several inspirational books that bring encouragement to a lot of
the discouraged souls, confused minds and the depressed hearts.

Author of

The School of Life,
Be Still, The Endless Journey, The Right Thinking Mind, Crushed But Not
Destroyed

You can find Chinonso’s books on Amazon

Contact Chinonso:

Phone: +2347031187606,
+2348163800029,