It engulfs your every waking minute, consumes your thoughts, and even has the ability to control all you do – a destructive root that is watered and tended for by a heart we have let become hard. We think we can handle it, until eventually it destroys all that we hold dear. We wake up one day and wonder how we got where we are, because where we were seems all but a distant memory.
Unforgiveness becomes our self made justice, paying us what we feel due. We think we are punishing the ones that have hurt us, but quickly come to realize it is in fact us we have locked away. I have learned that while forgiving someone sometimes feels like the impossible thing to do, it’s the only sure way to be set free from the pain you feel. No one ever said loving someone would be easy, but it’s love that can erode the strongest of chains. Remember we all make mistakes, and ultimately the choice is ours on whether to love or to forgive.
However it’s the grace we choose to bestow to others that might be the same grace we one day will need to receive.
Rach girl, you are wise beyond your years. A very wise women inspired a song that says just what you wrote…”I Choose To Love and to forgive…the life that once was mine belongs to Him…blessings overtaking me flowing through the open door…I choose to love and to forgive ’cause I am Yours…”
You are opening the doors of Heaven’s blessings as you minister healing through your pain…
Love this blog….I’ve been reading all of them and they are all soo good 🙂 Proud of you & Love you!
Grace and forgiveness are very close. Seems to me one cannot go without the other. Sweet blog! Keep writing girl
Rachel, I have eternal gratitude for your family, and your Daystar Television Network. Without you all, I most likely would have never ever learned the meaning of the word “Love.” I am so thankfull to finally understand AGAPE. Many blessings to you. You are very beautiful I just told aq VIP to watch Daystar. I hope that he will take this advice seriously. Looks like he is getting sidetracked, and is on a very bad path. I am totally a fanatic about Daystar. Kooky!! Much love, forever and wever.
Rachel, I will have to agree, This is one of the toughest choices to accept/do, However once we do, The pain and the memories of all the wrongs the people have done to us in our lives, will/do become numb. There is nothing more toxic then unforgiveness. I give God all the Glory!
I have found that Forgiveness is the only answer no matter how hard it is that it is best to forgive.
My Dear Rachel,
I’ve had the poison chalice in my heart; however, my God showed it to me and I repented. What I was shown through it all that I was the one being set free and given the peace of God in the end. I believe it is important to examine ourselves daily, because life happens daily. It can catch us unaware if we are not prayerful and checking our responses to life’s challenges. As always, you have given us food for thought. Bless you!
So true! Preach sistah!!
We recently attended the Freedom Conference. We had the opportunity to meet your parents, family, guest ministers and members of Daystar staff. Everyone was very personable and genuine. We are Pastors and also songwriters. We were touched by your song, “The Journey”. It was ‘THE SONG’ of the conference. You have ministered to many people through your song, including your mom and dad. Allow the lyrics to also “carry you” through your journey and the recent flood. God IS faithful!
Your parents dealt with their challenge in love, forgiveness and restoration. They are good people. They love the Lord and He loves them. Many will criticize. Many will pray. Many will be supportive. Stay sweet. Love. Forgive. Keep writing, especially during this time. Your recent blog is powerful and from the depths of your soul. May your beautiful song and blog inspire others (and you) to love and forgive.
Rachel, this is your day to rise up and minister through your writing. It is His gift to you. Continue to be the voice of comfort and strength He has anointed you to be. Fill the house (and the homes of many) with His fragrance. (Luke 4:18, John 12:3)
We are proud of you!
Rachel,
Thank you for showing us the love of GOD, You are right, and as my Pastor Larry Huch has said. All the issues in life are Heart problems, Unless you have the LOVE of Yeshua in your heart, You really don’t know how to live.
Unforgivness turned into hate for me…. And for the longest time, I didn’t realized that what I was feeling was hate. It made me so ugly, and angry all the time. I didn’t like the person I had become because of it. When the Lord took away my hate ( I released it), I felt 100lbs lighter. It’s so hard not to fall in line with society, but when we stand strong for the Lord, he gives us EndLess strength…. Then we can stand strong for him.
AnnacuaScott
That’s just it. We are to look for good things in others how else can we let the light within us shine? If we are to look at the bad in others and “curse” them, then I can assure you nothing but darkness will not only dwell in your hearts but will manefest negative things in your life. So let the kindom of heaven dwell in your hearts and try and always find the good in others and do not compare yourselves to others. People get places and things for reasonss that you cannot comprehend. If you want to be like someone else then be prepared to walk in they’re shoes, whomever it might be. Dont cures others who try to do good or you will have curses fall upon you but if you bless the kingdom then blessing will follow, but dont look for them.
Hi I’m 53, yes that sounds too old to come to your site but, I have to tell you that unforgiveness will mess up not only that person but, possibly the entire family. I was abused as a child and was bitter for a very long time before I realized I had already forgiven my abuser. Oh the bitterness I carried for soo many years. Yes I know it is an awful thing. But if u expect to live a better life, forgiving is very important. Know that the abuser(s) will have to meet GOD mono e mono. Just what do you think they will say to Him? Think about it, I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes. So pray for them, anyway and pray for you to receive recovery from the acts committed against you. You will be better and not so bitter. I imposed my experience on my daughters and never married for fear of them being abused. I greatly deprived them and now I am reaping those seeds. They have both married, one living a very good life the other not so good. I tried to bury my bitterness with drugs, didn’t work. Now I just have a lot to work through. I find sharing with others very good therapy. And then there’s GOD, HE just makes everything good, ; ) Oh my I have so much to share, I’ll be back…
Rachel,
Your words are beautifully spoken, and your pure heart shines through.
God does not allow us the luxury of harboring unforgiveness. However, I do believe that He knows we are human, and understands that sometimes forgiveness is a process. We may have good days actually “feeling” the forgiveness, and days we most certainly are “not feeling” the forgiveness. And that’s ok, because we don’t live by our feelings, but by faith. We know that as we take each day, one at a time, our heart will continue to soften until the pain only becomes a memory.
You and your family are in my prayers.
Love you.
As if the heart is a drum upon which the overlapping stories of our life are played. We feel His peace when reaching for Him, while in the flesh we see unsettling circumstances.
Those who walk with the Lord know to wait and follow to stay in step with him. He faithfully leads us not only to a better destination, but along an eternal path that is never without Him.
Our choice to forgive is not a one-time decision. It’s a commitment to walk step by step toward a future without contempt.
Gracefully for us and all, within the song of His heart the Lord holds no debt.
Thank you so much for this blog!! I am divorced from the one man “I” thought was the answer to my dreams. He loved the Lord, then he backslid away from everything and began, sometime in the 15 years we were married, committing adultery. When he left he moved right in with a girl he had known for what he said 2 weeks. They are still together one and a half years later. This has hurt me beyond words, but our God has seen and been with me every step of the way and has also seen me through alot of sickness!! I still miss my ex very much, but I know that God has taken him out of my life for a reason. Some days it’s easy to forgive him, then other days, I just find it hard to forgive and ask Jesus to help me with this. I know that Jesus is helping with everyone involved and that the blessing is coming my way. I have made up my mind, with the help of Jesus, to forgive my ex, whether I’m having a bad day or not. Please pray for me and Lamar, my ex, so that Jesus can work in Lamar’s life to bring him back to loving the Lord with all his heart, that to me is all that matters, whether Jesus sees to put us back together or not, I know that our daughter Stephanie will be happy when this takes place. God Bless you and your family!!!!
I think we cling so tightly to our bitterness because, over the short term, it is so much easier than forgiveness. We feel that we mete out much deserved retribution by clinging to our bitterness. The points you make are salient, and contain wisdom rarely found in people of our generation. It is true that forgiveness is the best path to take, no matter how hard it may seem. In the end, all parties involved will feel much better for it. Once we let go of our bitterness, we realize that the relief it brings feels amazingly better than the hate we harbored.
Great blog. I’ll keep reading it!
Bonjour Rachel,
Je suis une mamman de 48 ans descendance italo/argentine et vivant au Luxembourg. J’ai découvert Daystar il y a 2 ans et cela fait depuis 2007 que je suis née de nouveau par la grâce de Dieu.J’ai eu des hauts et des bas dans ma vie, mais dernièrement c’est grâce au pardon que bien de chose ce sont débloqués. Ta famlle est fantastique et vous donnez tellement d’amour aux personnes. Vous resterez unis et affronterez cette situation avec l’amour que Dieu vous donne.Que Dieu vous bennissez a tous
This makes so much sense. I know it to be true but still struggles with un-forgiveness sometimes. It seems to be a lot more easier when you have to forgive those that are NOT close to you, but when it turns out to be people close to you, you kind of sort of ‘expected them’ to Know Better, so forgiving seems a lot harder.
BUT that is just a mind game. Forgiving has the same rule, be it with those who are close or those who aren’t. We should forgive all!
Whenever we choose to stay bitter, it definitely feels makes us feel worse! Not forgiving someone who has hurt you is like drinking poison but expecting the other person to die.
I still pray for the ability to forgive. The Lord help me, and I pray for you as well Rachel, He shall see you and your family through this time you’re having.
When hurt comes thru the same door, that you expect your love to come from, only in knowing Jesus’s Love, tall and strong like a tree, dependable, with roots going deep, to take stuff your heart can’t afford to keep, can you find the strength to muddle through the emotional, fleshly turmoil, to realize the peace that passes all understanding, which will allow you to love, unconditionally, compassionately, and freely walk, lovingly in the Spirit. OOH! what a joy when through your faith, God proves His faithfulness, and delivers you. If you only believe He said, If you only believe!!
If you are open to having a guest blog poster please reply and let me know. I will provide you with unique content for your blog, thanks.
Rachel, to forgive is to agree with God and confess that the truth of reality is as the Lord says it is, and not the viewpoint of mankind without God. We know that when a man accepts Christ that he is now at war with the flesh. Those without God are slaves to the flesh, for a man is a slave to whatever masters him. The flesh wants retribution, but the spirit calls for understanding man’s position before God as a fallen being who needs salvation. We too, though we may accept Christ, need God’s forgiveness for those moments of fatigue, anger and others which often catch us by surprise and lead us to act as we should not. To forgive and ask for forgiveness is to recognize the universe as God sees it.
Awesome statement!!! However it’s the grace we choose to bestow to others that might be the same grace we one day will need to receive. Praise be to God!
Rachel,
You are showing wisdom far beyond your years! I am sure Joni is very proud of you as any mother would be.
Love & Blessings in His Name,
Rachel: Excellent writing! You are so transparent and I love your blog and what you wrote about forgiveness. I’m checking myself on forgiveness and I feel like I hang on to it! Blessings to you for your “preciousness.” Awesome!
Just tuned in and saw the lovely song you wrote I listened intently to the words and it brought tears to my eyes. I will continue to pray for your family and ‘Daystar Ministries’ over the years it has truly blessed my heart, and will continue to support it. God bless you RACHEL Lamb.
LOVE UNTESTED IS LOVE UNKNOWN. ONE OF LOVE’S MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE, IS FOR US TO OVERCOME OURSELVES, SACRIFICE HURT FEELINGS, AND GIVE LOVE TO THE SAME PLACE OUR HURT IS COMING FROM. THAT’S HOW IT IS WITH GOD’S LOVE, HOW ELSE COULD WE BE FORGIVEN.
REMEMBER:
DOUBTING AND JUDGING, WILL NEVER ALLOW THE TIME, WHEN LOVE ALONE, DECIDES EVERYTHING.
COMPASSION IS OUR DUTY
NOT DOUBTING AND JUDGING
LIVE THE WORD
TO LIVE IN OUR FATHER’S GLORY
NO CONDEMNATION NO FEAR
FOR MY TESTIMONY
LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY
CONTINUALLY.
WayneS
GOD IS LOVE; WHO OR WHAT COULD BE GREATER.
Love you Rachel. Love your parents. Lost my sister but your mom is like my big siz in my head. I’m from Kenya. You all have been a great comfort to me. I love you all…this is real life things happen we are not perfect my favorite verse is John 8:7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her………”
When Christ sent her away, it was with this caution, Go, and sin no more. Those who help to save the life of a criminal, should help to save the soul with the same caution. Those are truly happy, whom Christ does not condemn. Christ’s favour to us in the forgiveness of past sins should prevail with us, Go then, and sin no more……
-Irene
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