There are countless times in my life (and I am sure yours too) when someone or people wronged me. It has also happened the other way round whereby I wronged someone and asked for forgiveness. For as long as we are still living on earth with this human/fleshly clothing, we are bound to be wronged or for us to wrong someone. God desires that we forgive those who wrong us and the reverse is also true.
Some have carried this burden for years maybe even decades. Up till the time I gave my life to Christ and was taught from the Bible that I had to forgive those who hurt me, I held bitterness, anger and unforgiveness towards even my parents (who are long gone but still blamed them). I still remembered things that were said and done to me by many people. As I grew up, I held this position of unforgiveness. So so many years, I was a prisoner in this state of unforgiveness which resulted in God dealing and working with me. I thank God that because of His UNCONDITIONAL LOVE for us, we can come and talk to Him about anything. When someone wrongs or hurts our feelings, He is the only one who understands. BUT HIS STANDARD OR POSITION IS THAT WE MUST FORGIVE!!
It seems like sooner or later everyone gets mistreated and hurt. Many times the actions against us are unintentional, but other times they can be extremely malicious. Suddenly, this hurt begins to invade every other area of our life. We carry a heavy burden which we know we don't deserve - and which we certainly don't desire to keep - but it's a burden we can't seem to let go.
There is only one true way to relieve the burden of our hurt, and it always begins with FORGIVENESS. True forgiveness can be difficult and require great humility. We want the other person to first ask (maybe even beg) for our forgiveness. We would like them to admit the hurt they caused; and, if we are honest, we probably would prefer them to suffer...just a little. But this is not in God's plan.
Colossians 3:13
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
If we have come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, we have first come face to face with our sinful nature. Without an understanding that we are full of sin, we will never reach out for a savior. And if we have experienced the true meaning of God's love, "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8), we will be compelled to forgive others. When we truly understand His forgiveness, we WILL forgive others!
Jesus told a parable of a man who failed to forgive a small debt when his master had just forgiven him a much greater debt: "'Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed" (Matthew 18:33-34). Do we really understand how much we have been forgiven? Or our inability to repay? Yet our debt has been completely forgiven by grace through faith in Jesus, and we are now commanded to forgive others.
God established the standard for forgiveness. We are not called to forgive because someone deserves or has earned our forgiveness, we are called to forgive simply because God first forgave us. When we forgive, we must strive to make the forgiveness complete; "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12). Though we may carry a healthy level of new caution as the relationship continues, we must never place conditions on maintaining our forgiveness.
There WILL be times when we are burdened with hurt. But let's not seek revenge or try to withdraw and hide our pain. Let's follow the commands of God's Word and be set free! Let's grow closer to our Heavenly Father and see through His eyes. Let's share His love and forgive as He forgave. The question to be asked is: WHAT DO WE GAIN BY NOT FORGIVING OTHERS? Answer is: NOTHING AT ALL!!! If we don't forgive, we separate ourselves from God and miss out on what He has for us in store.
THIS IS OUR GOD!!
Have a blessed day!!
thanks
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