The Heart of Forgiveness
Last week we discussed not skipping experiences. Some of those experiences can be extremely hurtful, and it feels like you'll never get over it. YOU STILL HAVE TO FORGIVE
I'm starting to realize that there is nothing new under the sun. Everything that we go through is already written in the Bible. To be honest, I have a habit of feeling like nobody understands and like nobody gets what I go through. Last week, God took me to this passage.
When I read it, I was like
It was so much simply because I have been struggling with forgiveness for a while. I don't hold grudges, but I never forget how people have treated me. It's not hard for me to see a pattern of behavior in everything that person does. Like, let's say someone was selfish. I could pick up on that selfishness even in small doses in everything that they do. Because of that, it makes me not want to deal with them in any capacity. It doesn't matter who it is. Granted, I know that I don't alway sod things right, but I try my hardest to do right by people.
The thing is, we can't be so quick to write people off. We wouldn't want anybody to treat us that way. The Bible teaches
I don't know about y'all, but I love me. If I'm honest, some days it's hard to love me. Some days I'm stubborn. Some days I'm emotional. Some days I'm real anti. But when it's all said and done, I still love me. Just like I should still love everyone in spite of everything they are (amen ouch).
Forgiveness is another experience we can't skip. We can't live a life for Christ without forgiveness. He forgives us daily. As much as we've done, and as much wrong we do, as nasty as our thought can be....He knew us before we were formed in our mother's womb. All of us written before we got there. He knew you were going to do that thing you did the other night, but He still forgives us. Why can't we at least try to live more like Him?
I know. That "thing" may have been very very hurtful. Trust me, I get it. But the Bible says:
I'm going to be for real for real for a moment. Sometimes, the suffering is self-inflicted. Just hear me out. And maybe it's just me, but sometimes I beat myself up for decisions I made. Just over 3 years ago,I had to move back home after a bad decision I made. Every time I would look at my life, I would be like "If you wouldn't have made that decision you wouldn't be in this mess right now." I would constantly beat myself over the head over and and over. One day it was like a light came on and it said, "Forgive." I thought it meant forgive the people who were involved in the situation. The reality is I had to forgive myself. The Bible says
Forget all the mistakes you've made in the past. God knew you were going to do all those things, remember. He calculated all that already, and He still will allow His glory to be revealed in you. He can do something brand new.
So that means that even though that thing hurt you bad. It doesn't compare to the glory being revealed. It is nothing compared to the glory. In this case, the glory is being able to forgive.
I'm starting to realize that there is nothing new under the sun. Everything that we go through is already written in the Bible. To be honest, I have a habit of feeling like nobody understands and like nobody gets what I go through. Last week, God took me to this passage.
Matthew 18:21-35 The Message (MSG)
A Story About Forgiveness
21 At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?”
22 Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.
23-25 “The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn’t pay up, so the king ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be auctioned off at the slave market.
26-27 “The poor wretch threw himself at the king’s feet and begged, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ Touched by his plea, the king let him off, erasing the debt.
28 “The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, ‘Pay up. Now!’
29-31 “The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ But he wouldn’t do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the king.
32-35 “The king summoned the man and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn’t you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?’ The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that’s exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn’t forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy.”
When I read it, I was like
It was so much simply because I have been struggling with forgiveness for a while. I don't hold grudges, but I never forget how people have treated me. It's not hard for me to see a pattern of behavior in everything that person does. Like, let's say someone was selfish. I could pick up on that selfishness even in small doses in everything that they do. Because of that, it makes me not want to deal with them in any capacity. It doesn't matter who it is. Granted, I know that I don't alway sod things right, but I try my hardest to do right by people.
The thing is, we can't be so quick to write people off. We wouldn't want anybody to treat us that way. The Bible teaches
Matthew 22:38-40 The Message (MSG)
37-40 Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”
I don't know about y'all, but I love me. If I'm honest, some days it's hard to love me. Some days I'm stubborn. Some days I'm emotional. Some days I'm real anti. But when it's all said and done, I still love me. Just like I should still love everyone in spite of everything they are (amen ouch).
Forgiveness is another experience we can't skip. We can't live a life for Christ without forgiveness. He forgives us daily. As much as we've done, and as much wrong we do, as nasty as our thought can be....He knew us before we were formed in our mother's womb. All of us written before we got there. He knew you were going to do that thing you did the other night, but He still forgives us. Why can't we at least try to live more like Him?
I know. That "thing" may have been very very hurtful. Trust me, I get it. But the Bible says:
Romans 8:18 Living Bible (TLB)
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.
I'm going to be for real for real for a moment. Sometimes, the suffering is self-inflicted. Just hear me out. And maybe it's just me, but sometimes I beat myself up for decisions I made. Just over 3 years ago,I had to move back home after a bad decision I made. Every time I would look at my life, I would be like "If you wouldn't have made that decision you wouldn't be in this mess right now." I would constantly beat myself over the head over and and over. One day it was like a light came on and it said, "Forgive." I thought it meant forgive the people who were involved in the situation. The reality is I had to forgive myself. The Bible says
Isaiah 43:18 Living Bible (TLB)
18 But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I’m going to do!
Forget all the mistakes you've made in the past. God knew you were going to do all those things, remember. He calculated all that already, and He still will allow His glory to be revealed in you. He can do something brand new.
So that means that even though that thing hurt you bad. It doesn't compare to the glory being revealed. It is nothing compared to the glory. In this case, the glory is being able to forgive.
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