Forgiving As We Have Been Forgiven

We live in a time when revenge and resentment often appear to be more valued than forgiveness.  It appears we are more willing to just avoid people than do the hard work of dealing with issues that have gone wrong.  It is also not any better to pretend that things are just fine when we are around people we are holding unforgiveness against.  That creates its own set of problems.

Jesus was clear that we need to forgive those who have harmed us when he told the story of a man who owed what was probably equivalent to hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Because he was unable to pay the debt he was destined for a debtor’s prison for as long as the debt remained outstanding.  He begged to have the debt forgiven and the person He owed the debt to generously forgave him.  

God has forgiven us for all our wrongdoing and, if we are unwilling to forgive others, the torment and ugliness of the sin we won’t forgive will remain in our hearts. It will impact our relationship with our Heavenly Father who desires to forgive and forget the sins we have committed. 

When we forgive someone, we must let the thoughts and emotions that relate to the wrongdoing go.  That’s what God does and that’s what we are to do.  We need to replace memories of unjust treatment with other thoughts once we have forgiven our offender, let God heal and restore us. 

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen

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