|
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
(Matthew 6:14-15)
In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke about the lifestyles of Kingdom citizens. He said in the Bible verses for today's devotion that if we do not forgive, then God would not forgive us. When we harbor feelings of resentment and unforgiveness, we are only hurting ourselves. It is like drinking poison thinking that our enemy will die. I read recently a Twitter post by my friend Pastor James Merritt in Georgia who wrote that unforgiveness is an acid that eats away at the container. Refusing to forgive others imprisons us in a dungeon of sadness with impenetrable bars. The only way out, the key to release and freedom from this horrific place, is forgiving the one who hurt us.
As I mentioned in yesterday's devotion, I am dedicating the Christmas sermons preached in our church in 2020 to the topic of forgiveness. Three pastors on staff (including me) will preach on receiving the greatest gift we could possibly receive, which is the forgiveness of God through Christ. We will also focus on how once we have been forgiven, we now have to extend that same grace of forgiveness to others. You may disagree and say that this is impossible for you because you could never forgive and forget. You may indeed never be able to totally forget what happened to you or what the other person did or said, but you can forgive. Not only can you forgive, but Jesus commands us as His followers to forgive. God will never give us a commandment that He will not also provide the strength to obey.
When we choose not to forgive, we block the forgiving power of God flowing over and through us. I really do not know what it means for God not to forgive us of our wrongdoings because we have chosen to be unforgiving toward others. What I do know is this: it is not a good place to be!
This devotion will go out to literally thousands of people across the world, but I really believe it will be especially poignant for someone today who is struggling with forgiving another person who has hurt you. Can I encourage you to choose the path of forgiveness for you? Ask God for the strength to choose this higher path. Seek out the counsel of a pastor or counselor and let them help you walk through this valley.
When you truly forgive, then you will walk in the light and enjoy fellowship with God and peace within your heart.
|
|
