“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,just as God through Christ has fogiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT)
Christians are supposed to forgive but many of us behave like there are exceptions to this rule. How could one get rid and forgive a betrayal of ‘first class’ order, or a hurt that caused an irreparable damage? The natural response is bitterness, but the Bible clearly paints the danger of this natural response. Hebrews 12:15 says, ” …Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” The root of bitterness grows in the soil of hurt and produces fruit unforgiveness.
Once unfogiveness takes hold of a believer, it leads to the following: unremitted sins, separation from God (Isaiah 59:2), unanswered prayers (Mark 11:25) and exposure to satanic attack (2 Cor. 2:11). If the price is so much, it is important to constantly ask the Holy Spirit to daily reveal to us people or issues we haven’t completely forgiven and uproot the weed of bitterness out of the ground of once life, so that it won’t rear its head again. Ask for the grace to let go and release those who’ve wronged us as the passage instructs. It will, no doubt take the power of God to bring one to a place of being willing to forgive but when the power comes, you will be able to pray (Luke 6:28) and love (Matt. 5:45) our enemies and release.
Forgiveness is the best revenge. It not only sets our minds free from the prison of hatred but it releases our offenders to God for Him to deal with (Proverbs 20:22). Faith is what moves God but only forgiveness releases His power.
I pray that we will find in God the sheer strength to battle through the feelings of anger, hatred, and bitterness, and fight our way back to the cross. That’s where Christ forgave us. And that’s where, by faith, we can find the ability to forgive those who’ve wronged us. |
