Forgiveness and reconciliation will give you a sense of true freedom. With that freedom, you can leave your past behind and move into all God has planned for your life.

Ephesians 2:10 is one of my favorite verses and it reads, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Recently, I was writing in my prayer journal and prayed about this scripture. I asked God to remove all from my life that prohibits me from walking in His will and completing the good works he has prepared for me. I wrote down several things I want to accomplish in life and asked God to show me if my desires are in line with His will.

As I pondered over my long list, I suddenly felt a sense of true freedom. It occurred to me that because I had put so many other burdensome things behind me, I could now clearly and freely focus on what God wants to do in and through me. I know one of the things that burdened me in the past and held me back was my unforgiving heart. Holding back on granting forgiveness can be a stumbling block to progress and most of the time we can’t see that reality. So much time is spent in bondage, being held captive by past mistakes, anger and regrets.

In order to get through that period of "bondage," I spent a lot of time in prayer, asking God to mend my broken relationships with my siblings. However, in addition to praying, I took action. I reached out to my siblings and wrote each one a letter of reconciliation, forgiving them for any grievance against me and asking them to forgive me as well. It was at that point I was able to experience true freedom in Christ. Once I stopped festering about the injustices against me and owned up to the role I played in my broken relationships, I was able to let God change my heart and heal me from the inside out. Once I let go of my hardened heart, I was able to take hold of God’s grace.

I have seen progress in my life because I took this journey to reconciliation and forgiveness. I know that what God wants for my life is always better than what I choose, so I chose forgiveness. Do you have a broken relationship that is weighing on your heart, mind or spirit? Is this burdensome situation holding you back from experiencing freedom in Christ? If so, there are a few things you can do.

First, pray that God will soften your heart toward your offender and the situation. Second, decide that forgiveness is not an option, but a necessity. Third, take action. Will you join me on the journey to forgiveness and healing by writing a letter of reconciliation? If so, visit my project website at http://www.thehealinglettersproject.com. The site walks you through the step-by-step process of how to write a letter of reconciliation to make amends.

God wants to do big things in your life today. Will you forgive someone today, or ask for his/her forgiveness, so you may be set free and be used for God’s glory?