Called To Forgive Part 3

 Ephesians 4:32


32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.


Colossians 3:13


13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.


As I mentioned in a previous devotional, one of the hardest pills for us to swallow as Christians is that we have to forgive.  Many Christians treat forgiveness as an optional thing, but in the life of the redeemed, it is not.  


Colossians 3:13 makes that fact very clear.  There is no getting around the wording that is used in this verse.  It clearly states, “so you also MUST do.”  There are no cutting corners there.  


So why?  Why should we forgive?  Why in the world when we have experienced so much pain, so much heartache, so much wrong, how in the world is it fair for me to forgive the person that has wronged me?


Unforgiveness is spiritually destructive because it is contrary to God’s will and affects our emotions, thoughts, prayers, and relationships. Scripture is clear that we are to forgive anyone who causes us harm, because we ourselves have been forgiven a much larger debt of sin by God. The grace He pours out on each of us should be our motivation to extend grace to others. If we have received His loving pardon, then we must do the same for others, even when it feels unfair.

Forgiveness involves a total change of attitude and action, whereby we give up resentment toward someone and relinquish a desire for revenge. In our own strength, this is impossible. But if, instead of rehearsing our hurts, we ask the Lord to change us and fill us with His Spirit, He will begin the process of transforming our heart.

Forgiveness is not just for the person we are forgiving.  In fact, forgiveness is much more for us.  God is in the business of sanctifying the believer.   God is molding you into the image of Jesus Christ.  A big part of that is expressing the same forgiveness that Jesus Christ does.

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