How to be debt-free ?

​When we bought our first home I knew to whom we owed a large financial debt.  We would faithfully write out the check each month to the financial institution that held our mortgage.  Then one day we received a letter telling us that they had discharged our debt to them and passed it on to another financial institution.  Nothing had changed except who we had to write out the check to.  The original bank that had sold off our loan was no longer interested in anything related to our finances.  We never checked back with them, we didn’t let them know when we sold the property, it was no longer their concern.

Like the above transaction, when I forgive you I discharge any debt I believe you owe me?  I don’t relieve you of your accountability or responsibility to stop your wrongdoing or repair your damage, I just pass on your debt to the hands of the One who holds all our debts in his hand.

This is the way true forgiveness works.  When I give it to God, I don’t tell him how to handle the debt that was owed to me.  That could be a debt of apology, gratitude, repair or restitution.  I just give it to God to handle however he chose.  In exchange I have received his forgiveness for all the debts I owe him.  Matthew 18:21-35 gives an example of what it looks like not to pass on the forgiveness you have received.
 
I know that I want to live a debt-free existence and God has promised that he will forgive me as I forgive others (Matt 6:14-15).  So I continue to forgive those who I believe owe me a debt of gratitude for what I gave them, or a debt of apology for what they took from me or did to me.  I no longer have a right to know what they have done to discharge their debt, that is between them and the holder of their debt.
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As you go into the New Year how many debts can you discharge?  Go into your new year as debt-free as you can by applying the spiritual practice of forgiveness.  As a benefit you will enter the New Year feeling lighter and able to apply your energies to pursuing physical, financial, and spiritual wealth and health.

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