Forgiveness, Is It An Option?
Ξ October 31st, 2007 | → | ∇ Christian Living, Growing In The Lord, New Christians |
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As Christians, we are aware that we need to be forgiven to have Jesus come into our hearts. It’s a simple process. You ask Jesus to forgive your sins and ask Him into your heart. That’s it. Simple. Well, not that simple but it is not a complicated process by any means. God made it simple so that we can understand the whole plan. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He took our place. We ask Him to forgive us and we are then forgiven. Step by step, we are able to go from sin to clean.
But what about something that we are holding against someone else? What happens then? The process needs to be just as simple. Someone hurts us and we must forgive them. Again, a simple thing. But is it? Not really. There are some things that are easy to forgive. Others are not that easy. Some things are just blown off. Others, I have agonized over for days or weeks at a time. But there is a bottom line.
(Mark 11:2526) And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive it so that also your Father in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses.
Did you catch that? If you WILL NOT forgive someone, then God WILL NOT forgive you. That’s a huge problem. I want to hold something against someone but I do not want to live in unforgiveness. Therefore, I must let go of the unforgiveness toward that other person so that I can live in the freedom of forgiveness myself. Sometimes, that’s a problem, I admit.
Don’t you just want to hang onto that unforgiveness just a little longer? Sort of let them hang there in the breeze for everyone to see their sins? Yes, that sounds like a good idea…until God gets a hold of that idea. Then it isn’t so hot since God says that only HE has the right to repay with vengeance.
(Romans 12:1819) If it is possible, as far as is in you, being in peace with all men, not avenging yourselves, beloved, but giving place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Oh oh. This is a problem. I am not going to be forgiven if I keep wanting to hold something against someone else. Not only that but it’s God’s job to deal with vengeance, not mine. The answer is that I have to forgive that person who did something to me or my loved one. I do have a choice but that choice will lead to my walk with the Lord being damaged. I will not risk that!!!
I do have one question here. If you hold onto the unforgiveness, does that hurt that other person or you? Actually, it does nothing to that other person spiritually at all. You cannot control their standing with the Lord Jesus. That is between them and Jesus and has nothing at all to do with you regardless of your feelings about it.
What does hurt is your unforgiveness. It hurts YOU! Your standing with God is damaged until you deal with it for yourself. Is that thing they did SO UNFORGIVABLE that you cannot let go of it? Then God cannot forgive you until you deal with it. Now, is your spiritual wholeness or lack of it worth that to you? Because if you can live in the lack of forgiveness, fine. If you cannot, then you must change how you think about it and deal with it quickly.
So, if you have anything against anyone, please consider that it is actually damaging your time with the Lord, not the other person’s standing with Him. All it takes is going to Jesus and tell Him what you have done. He already knows but it is vital that you confess this sin to Him and ask forgiveness that He will be glad to give. That was the reason for Him dying on the cross..for You!! See, Jesus would have died there just for you even if you were the only sinner on the planet. Now, I find that to be awesome!!! Seek God today. Oh yes, go to the one you have something against and forgive them. Is forgiveness an option? Absolutely NOT!
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