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“You cannot give total love when your heart is divided.”

A thought by Rick Warren from his book. God's Power to Change Your Life (Living with Purpose) (p. 52). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

And for so many their love is divided.

Rick says, “And a bitter heart is a divided heart."  Maybe that is you.

Rick goes on, “You may be thinking, ‘I can’t love my spouse. He is a wonderful person, but I just can’t love him.’ You are probably still reacting to your past and harboring resentment against someone. That is what is keeping you from loving your spouse. And that is not fair to your spouse.

“Many people have a just cause for their anger. For example, I heard a news report on the radio that one out of every three women and one out of every seven men will be abused during their lifetime. But we have to let go of the past to get on with the present. To begin loving people today, we must close the door on the past. And that cannot happen without forgiveness! Forgive those who have hurt you — for your sake, not because they deserve it. Do it so your heart can be whole again. The people from your past cannot continue to hurt you today unless you allow them to hurt you by holding on to resentment against them.”

Rick then says, “Anytime you resent someone, you give that person a piece of your heart, a piece of your attention, a piece of your mind. Do you want that person to have that? No. So take it back by forgiving. Forgive those who hurt you. Instead of rehearsing that hurt over and over, release it.”

That would be a great gift to give to yourself and those around you.  That may be the best gift you could give to your family.  Maybe you are holding on to some hurt from your past. Maybe a parent, an old friend, maybe a teacher, a relative or maybe a preacher really hurt you or abused you and you keep rehearsing it over and over.  Why not release them from the hold over you by forgiving them.  Will you do that today?  Will you right now through God’s help do that right now?  Will you forgive them?


Yes, yes!

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