Do Yourself a Favour... Forgive. Joyce Meyer

Author, speaker and principle broadcaster of ‘Enjoying Life Everyday’ TV, Joyce Meyer knows well what it is to suffer unjustified hurt, emotional and material loss and deeply personal criticism.

Yet in her latest life changing book, Joyce tells it straight that your duty is to yourself. So for your own sake: do yourself a favour and learn to forgive, and shows you where to find the strength of God to do it.

Hurt happens, forgiveness is a choice

‘Hurt happens. It’s the one thing on Life that’s essentially guaranteed,’ says Joyce Meyer, ‘unfortunately, forgiveness isn’t a guarantee. It’s a choice we can make to set ourselves free from the pain that keeps us trapped in a state of fear, resentment or anger.’

We want to be paid back for the pain we’ve endured.”

Every Christian knows that forgiveness is a central part of Jesus’ teaching and defining Christian characteristic. Every Christian knows that they ought to forgive and need to forgive – but very few really know how to do it.

Forgiveness begins the healing process

With her personal experience of human hurt and healing Joyce Meyer confronts anger and bitterness with techniques and resolutions to begin the process of forgiving.

Says Joyce, ‘we want to paid back for the pain we’ve endured, but that’s something only God can do.’ With typical straight talking she says: ‘…you will learn that when you process anger in a healthy manner and when you forgive, the person you’re doing a favour for is yourself.’

Know a liberating peace of mind

With real life examples, Joyce Meyer illustrates the damage you can do to yourself and those you love when you fail to forgive, and the liberating peace of mind enjoyed when you learn the secrets of forgiveness.

In the opening chapter of ‘do yourself a favour... forgive’ Joyce gives you the story of Susanna and the years she lost to anger and shame and a deep hurt she refused to forgive.

Hurting people hurt other people

With bold honesty, Joyce opens her own story of unreleased pain and bitterness resulting from a childhood lost to the trauma of abuse. She warns from experience that ‘hurting people hurt other people’ and urges forgiveness as the only way to break the cycle.

Joyce gives no falsely idealised view of forgiveness as an easy art. She makes no bones about how difficult forgiveness is, and never makes you feel a failure if you just can’t forgive right away. But she’s clear about the ultimate source of love, mercy and forgiveness and their availability in generous quantity.

Check your anger in at the door

Helping you move toward forgiveness step by step, Joyce Meyer gives plenty of practical advice and encouragement. She promotes a view of anger that can be consciously ‘checked in at the door’ like guns in a Western movie saloon.

Moving toward a deliberate and practiced daily habit of forgiveness, Joyce encourages you to reason with yourself and say about the anger that holds you back: ‘I am going to purposely let it go.’

Straight talking and biblical wisdom

'Do yourself a favour... forgive' is a practical blend or straight talking, positive thinking and a foundation of biblical wisdom drawn from the Old and New Testaments. The book doesn't forget that its readers are flawed and fallible humans, and presents forgiveness as a continuing process.

Quoting many of the Bible’s helpful references to the benefits of forgiveness, Joyce reminds that the justice and even vengeance we crave when wronged is not for us to give: "For we know Him who said, 'vengeance is mine…' The Lord will judge and determine and solve and settle the cause and the cases of His people." (Hebrews 10:30)

Author snap-shot: Joyce Meyer

Plain speaking Joyce Meyer is the Christian author, speaker and broadcaster drawing on her own bitter life experiences and Bible teaching to overcome emotional hurt and pain. With her ‘can do’ attitude, she is focused on healing and positive thinking to defeat life’s destructive emotions and regain a life of peace and joy.

March 23rd, 2012 - Posted & Written by Les Ellison

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