Hardly anything in life is any more difficult than forgiving someone who has hurt you – or someone that you love -- deeply. Nonetheless, that is the very thing that we have to do if we are going to enjoy God’s forgiveness.
So today, I want to encourage you to forgive as one who needs to be forgiven. Jesus told us to not forget the log that was in our own eye as we examine the speck that is in our brother's eye. He also noted, “let him who is sinless throw the first rock!”
While here, do you realize that it is hard to arrogantly condemn someone else over their sin when you are humbly confessing and acknowledging your own?
Years ago, I was having to deal with this issue of forgiveness. Someone had wronged me. I was angry. Frankly, I wanted God to rain fire and brimstone down on their head.
One day as I was praying, I felt the Lord ask me if I had any fault in the matter?
Was I:
Revelation 12:4 calls the devil the “accuser of the brethren.” What a fitting description. He accuses us before God, he accuses us to others, he even accuses us to ourselves. As Christians, we must not assume the role of the accuser. Rather, we are to bless those who curse us; we are to pray for those who de-spitefully use us.
Somebody told John Wesley one time, “I could never forgive that person!” And Wesley said, “Then I hope you never sin.”
Are you grappling with this issue of forgiveness? Perhaps you have been so focused on the faults of the other person that you have completely overlooked your own role in the tiff. Maybe it is time to look inward. Could it be that you are at least partly to blame? Rather than spend precious time and energy accusing the other person, why not acknowledge your role, seek God’s forgiveness, and move on with your life. You can thank me later.
The Redeemed Team
So today, I want to encourage you to forgive as one who needs to be forgiven. Jesus told us to not forget the log that was in our own eye as we examine the speck that is in our brother's eye. He also noted, “let him who is sinless throw the first rock!”
While here, do you realize that it is hard to arrogantly condemn someone else over their sin when you are humbly confessing and acknowledging your own?
Years ago, I was having to deal with this issue of forgiveness. Someone had wronged me. I was angry. Frankly, I wanted God to rain fire and brimstone down on their head.
One day as I was praying, I felt the Lord ask me if I had any fault in the matter?
Was I:
- 5% guilty?
- 10% guilty?
- 25% guilty?
- 50% guilty?
Revelation 12:4 calls the devil the “accuser of the brethren.” What a fitting description. He accuses us before God, he accuses us to others, he even accuses us to ourselves. As Christians, we must not assume the role of the accuser. Rather, we are to bless those who curse us; we are to pray for those who de-spitefully use us.
Somebody told John Wesley one time, “I could never forgive that person!” And Wesley said, “Then I hope you never sin.”
Are you grappling with this issue of forgiveness? Perhaps you have been so focused on the faults of the other person that you have completely overlooked your own role in the tiff. Maybe it is time to look inward. Could it be that you are at least partly to blame? Rather than spend precious time and energy accusing the other person, why not acknowledge your role, seek God’s forgiveness, and move on with your life. You can thank me later.
The Redeemed Team
