WHEN UNFORGIVENESS GETS IN THE WAY...

I DIDN'T SEE IT COMING THAT DAY. NO, I DIDN'T SEE IT COMING. I WAS GOING ON AND ON WITNESSING TO A RELUCTANT FRIEND ABOUT THE GOODNESS OF GOD WHEN THEY SAID SOMETHING THAT I TOTALLY WAS UNPREPARED FOR.

"GOD NEVER ANSWERS MY PRAYER. OH YES, HE DOES IT FOR OTHER PEOPLE, BUT NOT FOR ME."

DEADPAN SILENCE.

THEY SAID IT AGAIN.

THIS WAS A TIME WHEN I NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO SAY SOMETHING AND ON MY OWN; I COULD THINK OF NOTHING AT ALL.


MY MOUTH OPENED AND I SAID:

"WELL ALL I CAN THINK OF IS THAT THERE MUST BE SOMEONE THAT YOU WON'T FORGIVE..."


DEADPAN SILENCE.


ONLY THIS TIME, THE BALL WAS IN THEIR COURT AND THEY HAD TO THINK ABOUT IT,

FINALLY THEY ADMITTED THAT NOT ONLY WAS THERE SOMEONE WHOM THEY HAD NOT FORGIVEN, BUT THEY WERE NEVER GOING TO FORGIVE THEM. I EXPLAINED THAT UNFORGIVENESS IS SPIRITUAL POISON AND THAT'S IT'S DISOBEDIENCE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE OVERLOOKED AND MUST BE CHECKED...HEAD ON.


WE JUST LEFT IT THERE. I WAS LATER ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE WORD:

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. MARK 11: 25




AND ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THEY RE STILL DEALING WITH IT, I'M STILL PRAYING FOR THEM. I ASK YOU TO DO SO AS WELL.