As I was sitting in the church pew, I didn’t like a single word of what I heard. My wife kept asking me if I was okay. All I could do was shake my head. Our pastor was finishing a series on grace. Do you know the greatest attribute of God that brought us to Jesus Christ?
He was talking about how Christians keep others in prison. This is when we refuse to forgive others, using some pretty clever methods. The more I spoke, the more I knew that God was speaking to me. Some people had stolen money from us. My wife and I were not happy and on the outside we had forgiven them.
But you know how God works. He goes way beyond the old mouthpiece services. As the pastor spoke, his word sank deep into my spirit. Finally I had to free the evildoers from “prison”.
I’m not alone, am I?
Three ingenious “prison” methods
1. The silent treatment
This has to be a favorite of believers and non-believers alike. Heck, I’ve used this to perfection over the years. But think how cruel this is. We use this on people we hang out with. It could be at work, at home, or at church. Our body language speaks louder than words. It is obvious to the “criminal” that you are not talking to him. But God makes it clear in I Corinthians 13: 5, when He says that love does not hold a grudge. Don’t put them in jail by not talking to them. Take the time to talk about the situation. I found that when you speak, the problem is resolved even faster.
2. Verbal aggression
There are those of us who do not believe in silent warfare. No sir, we like to go for the jugular. Sometimes it can be satisfying to unleash a parade of terrible words on someone. “I’ll give you a piece of my mind!” We say inside. But we are actually making everything worse. Every time they see you or think of you, they remember what was said. I will never forget to call one of the people involved in our financial situation. I told him what I thought. When I hung up the phone I felt like filth! Using words to hurt others is a prison I never want to be a Guardian of.
3. Avoid people
Okay, this pup is normally used with prison method n. 1. And I won’t tell you I haven’t. Believers in Christ are not perfect. We know a lot of people that we would rather not deal with. Make no mistake, this is a sign of spiritual immaturity. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we’re supposed to be great friends with everyone. Some people don’t click. When you have a problem with someone, don’t avoid it. Bring it out and take care of it. If they never speak again, they can at least say hello or smile kindly. But the “problem” is solved and you can move on.
My main character ends up spending some time with his spiritual advisor. The godly woman teaches you to forgive your ex-husband every day. “Linda, I want you to act like he’s in the room. Look him in the eye and tell him you forgive him for cheating on you.” Linda’s first reaction is not overly accepting of this little exercise. But this is what ends up happening. She says the words every day. As he does so, his spirit and body begin to heal.
Oh, I didn’t mention the health part, did I? Your body reacts to unforgiveness. Some of the common physical symptoms are headaches, chest pain, nausea, and anxiety. And we all know that anxiety, when left unchecked, turns into total depression.
God teaches us in His Word that forgiveness is medicine. Release others from prison, forgiving them. Do it over the phone, in person, by email, or with smoke signals if necessary! Here is another important reason why you should forgive others. My pastor put it so perfectly.
“When we think we are imprisoning others for their wrongdoing, we are actually imprisoning ourselves.”
I have visited others in jail and done concerts. The prison of unforgiveness is as dark and depressing as the BIG HOUSE. Free yourself and others, sincerely forgiving them.