By Neil Anderson
October 27
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you
The second step in resolving past conflicts is to forgive those who have offended you. After encouraging Cindy, a rape victim, to deal with the emotional trauma of her rape, I said, “Cindy, you also need to forgive the man who raped you.” Cindy’s response was typical of many believers who have suffered physical, sexual or emotional pain at the hands of others: “Why should I forgive him? You don’t know how badly he hurt me!”
“He’s still hurting you, Cindy,” I responded. “Forgiveness is how you stop the pain. You don’t forgive him for his sake; you do it for your sake.”
Why should you forgive those who have hurt you in the past?
First, forgiveness is required by God. As soon as Jesus spoke the amen to His model prayer–which included a petition for God’s forgiveness–He commented: “If you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14, 15). We must base our relationships with others on the same criteria on which God bases His relationship with us: love, acceptance and forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35).
Second, forgiveness is necessary to avoid entrapment by Satan. I have discovered from my counseling that unforgiveness is the number one avenue Satan uses to gain entrance to believers’ lives. Paul encouraged mutual forgiveness “in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Unforgiveness is an open invitation to Satan’s bondage in our lives.
Third, we are to forgive like Christ forgave in order to keep our hearts from bitterness. Paul wrote: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31, 32).
Your act of forgiveness will set the captive free, then you will realize that the captive was you!
- The Choice of Forgiveness (hkuicf.wordpress.com)
- The Power to Forgive (athenammorris.wordpress.com)
- How to stay fresh in a decaying world (whyjesusministries.wordpress.com)
Are You Guarding What is Important?
Wondering if anyone else has an easier time forgiving others than forgiving themselves. I don’t seem to have a problem with others, it’s ME I have an almost impossible time forgiving.
Perfectly understandable, that describes many of us including me. Just try to remember that when Christ has forgiven you for your sin and you have not forgiven yourself you are standing in opposition to what Christ has decreed. Therefore not forgiving your self could actually be a sin.
Reblogged this on My Polaroid Heart and commented:
Unforgiveness is a poison that only hurts you so why would you keep it?