Forgiveness and healing

I was studying for a talk that I gave on Saturday night to a group of single adults. The talk was titled “awkward-free dating.” As I have been a singles pastor, one thing has become really clear…a lot of single adults love talking about and hearing talks on dating. So I began what has really turned into a book called “to date or not to date”…that is the question. I never had any intention on speaking so much on a topic but God led me to the place of understanding that God loves to be glorified in all relationships…God IS relationships…..and this means that God desires to be glorified in DATING…but first DATING had to be defined…so I defined it….

A point in my talk was “to DEAL before the DATE.” The point was that the date was not the place where people need to “relationally or emotionally DUMP” on the other person. As I was studying, I came across a passage that I had read and memorized many many years ago. In 2 Chronicles we read, “If my people, who are called by My name will humble themselves, will pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, then will I hear from heaven and heal their land.” 

God is so ready to heal our hurts, bad habits, and destructive hangups. But we have to come before him and ask for forgiveness so that He can heal us. The same is true in many many relationships. We have to come to a place of forgiving past hurts before we will ever find healing from those past hurts. 

I don’t know too many people that don’t desire healing…but the desire is not enough. We have to first ask for forgiveness or we have to forgive….don’t forget Jesus’ model prayer. “….forgive us our debts just as we forgive those who have debts towards us…..