FORGIVING

Do you know people who walk around with a mental rap sheet with the goods on all who have offended, hurt or angered them? My friend Alan shared with me about a man where he works who cannot forgive him for an incident that occurred well over five years ago. Any chance he gets to stick Al with evil he maximizes. It makes for a tough work environment.

Meditation

Ephesians 4:32—Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Colossians 3:13—Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Somewhere along the path of walking with God a gorgeous concept takes hold of our hearts and changes forever the way in which we view people. We call it forgiveness. The Apostle Paul wrote the Christians living in Turkey asking them to forgive each other—not because he told them to; not because it was an early church fad; not so they could get their own way; not so people would be impressed! He asked them to forgive each other and the basis upon which that forgiveness came was the example God set through sending His Forgiver—Jesus! They were to forgive because God forgave them. We are to forgive because God forgave us.

Did we earn His forgiveness—hardly! Did He owe us—absurd! Did He forgive to manipulate us so He could accomplish His agenda—unnecessary! God forgave us on the basis of love! We know this because Ephesians 4:32 is followed by 5:1,2--Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Friends, one of the greatest feelings you can experience is to truly forgive someone else. The exercise of forgiveness is the expression of love! Are you carrying resentment against another person? Jesus said, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" (Mark 11:25). Are you fed up with those who repeatedly wrong you? Peter seemed to think there ought to be a limit as to how much a person should forgive another. He asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus rocked his boat by replying, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:21,22).

A great indicator that we are becoming more God-like is that we understand how undeserving we are of God’s forgiveness and therefore in humility consider it a joy to forgive those who have hurt us.

Inspiration

Forgiveness is the fragrance that the flower leaves on the heel of the one who crushed it.—Mark Twain

Forgiveness constitutes a decision to call forth and rebuild that love which is the only authentic ground of any human relationship. Such love forms the sole secure ground of our relationship with God as well. Indeed, it is only because God continually calls forth and rebuilds this love with us that we are capable of doing so with another. Thus, to forgive is to participate in the mystery of God’s love . . . Genuine forgiveness draws us right into the heart of divine life.—Marjorie J. Thompson in "Moving Toward Forgiveness", Weavings March/April 1992