I’m so excited to start 2017 with all of the promise and opportunities that await.  One of the things I’ve been focused on leading up to the launch of the new year is making sure my heart was right towards people in my life.  I knew from some of the things coming out of my mouth (out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks) I still held bitterness in my heart.

Bitterness is an ugly thing.  It doesn’t just poison your own heart, you uncontrollably spew it out onto those around you.  It effects your outlook on life and people.  If flavors those whom you influence regarding the person or people you speak about.   I knew I had to make a change in how I was thinking.  I knew I needed to forgive.

When you forgive someone, you release them from all of the things you thought they should be to you.  Could be a friend or loved one who mistreated you, broke your trust.  It could be a person in power that didn’t care for you as they should have.  It could be a boss who fired you and you felt it was a wrongful termination.  I’ve had that happen in my life.  I’ve had to forgive (release) that person many times over.  In fact, each time the remembrance came to mind and the emotional pain hit me again regarding the career damage, the income lost, the hit to my reputation, I chose to release that person anew.

Many times we have to forgive people over and over.  It’s not that it didn’t take or we were not sincere, just that it’s a process.  After forgiving, I find myself less and less hurt by the circumstances of that situation.  I find I can reflect on that experience without the pain of regret, bitterness or loss.

Which brings me to this weekend and entering into the new year with a clear heart.  I’ve forgiven those I felt did things “wrong” or treated me in a way that I didn’t deserve.  Often times, the people I’m forgiving had no idea I held bitterness towards them.  I didn’t make a phone call or send a lengthy email detailing their deeds against me.  I simply released them from what I thought they should have been to me.

How about you?  Why not make 2017 the year you became free of past hurts by releasing those who hurt you, forgiving those who came up short in your eyes and estimations?  I tell you, few things feel as good as being able to breath deeply and know you have done all you can to remove bitterness from your life.  To live unencumbered by that pain and those disappointments is a wonderful thing!

I hope you are encouraged by my words and I wish you a Happy New Year!

Loved ones bring joy to our lives.

Without other people in our lives, without forgiveness, friendship and love, all we are left with is the finger in the middle!