
The Gift of Forgiveness
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.—Colossians 3:13 (NIV)
Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?”—LUKE 5:22 NIV
Caregivers’ thoughts are often conflicted. We feel guilty for wishing we didn’t have to do this job. We get angry over the circumstances we face. We worry that our faith isn’t as strong as it should be—precisely because we’re complaining and don’t feel joy.
Many times we feel we can’t share our thoughts with others because we don’t want to depress them. We don’t want to be seen as weak or complaining. So we keep those feelings bottled up inside.
How many times do we suffer with our thoughts when we could be sharing them with our heavenly Father? In reality, we can’t hide any thought from God; He’s aware of each and every one. So why not release the tension and share our anger, frustration, confusion, helplessness, worry, concerns and anxieties with Him?
We can weep before the Lord, cry out that we don’t understand, admit our fears, and tell Him we’re tired. We can freely admit when our hope is fading. But God is ready to hear us out—and to minister to us accordingly.
Dear Father, sharing my thoughts with You is the only way to find the comfort and strength I need to get through the day. Thank You for listening.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.—Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.—Psalm 91:11 (NIV)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.—Romans 5:8 (NIV)