Forgiveness – Week 1.1

This month, I’ll be talking about forgiveness. That’s a big word, but we’ll define it as “deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn’t have to pay”.

Have you ever had someone do something, or say something, hurtful to you? You probably wanted to hurt them back, or be angry until they came to you to tell you they were sorry. While you waited, you may have gotten more and more angry at the person. That is like planting a seed of anger and letting it grow bigger and bigger. After a while, it gets so big that it is hard to get rid of. If we can forgive others before they even ask, then we kill that seed before it has time to take root and grow. That’s what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross. God forgave us before we even asked! Even though we wronged Him. We just need to accept that He has done that for us. When we believe that, our lives are changed forever!

We need to remember a couple of things:

1. No one is perfect. Romans 3;23 says that all have sinned (disobeyed God) and fall short of the glory of God. Everyone needs to be forgiven…. even you…. even me.

2. Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV) says, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” A trespass is when someone does something wrong to you. We need to forgive others when they do that, just like Jesus did for us. When we really believe, and know, that God forgave us; it becomes so much easier to forgive others.

How about you? Do you truly know God’s forgiveness? Can you forgive others, or do you let the seed of anger grow?