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Finding Joy, Day Nine. The Beans, or the Background. Paul wrote many of his letters in the New Testament to correct or address some issue in a church. However, Ephesians wasn't written for such reason. He simply wanted to encourage young believers in their faith. So today's verse comes from a section of the letter where he addresses how it is we should interact with one another. The verse, Ephesians chapter 4 verse 32. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Esteem. What does this mean to me and how can I apply it to my life today? One of the biggest things that sucks away our joy is our inability to forgive. Harboring ill feelings, hurt feelings, anger, and resentment towards people who have hurt us in our past is a natural tendency for us. However, those feelings do nothing to help us. And in fact, all they do is hurt us. We may feel that there are certain individuals in our lives who do not deserve our forgiveness. And they may have done some unbelievably horrible things to you. However, when you dwell on those bad feelings, you are doing nothing but hurting yourself. The other person has no clue what turmoil you keep yourself trapped in. And another thought, do we deserve Jesus's forgiveness? I know I certainly don't. I have been hurt very deeply in my life. But when I think about people that I have hurt, how I continuously hurt Jesus's heart on a daily basis, I understand the importance of forgiveness and relate to the fact that no one is perfect. The beautiful freedom comes when I finally do let go and truly forgive. Please note that some relationships are not healthy for us and are better kept in the past. However, whether or not I reconcile a relationship with the person who hurt me or not, I still feel so much better after I forgive. The weight and burden are no longer mine to carry. So ask if there's anyone that you need to forgive from your past. Pray and ask Jesus to give you the strength to begin the process of forgiving and of healing.