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Sep 04, 2019 17:00pm

Forgiving Like God Does

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Have you ever watched a reality TV show where they are all trying to live together in a house or on an island? These shows are all about drama and strife because, after all, if everyone was happy, the show wouldn’t get good ratings!

Have you ever noticed that there is always one person (usually a female) that refuses to forgive. It’s that one person who makes the statement, “I hate all of you and I refuse to be around anyone!” Then she goes off and alienates herself . . . . all because someone used her contouring palette or someone accidentally didn’t include her.

During the interview, she always puts the blame on someone else. It was never her fault and she refuses to take any responsibility for her actions.

As I was watching this, the Lord convicted my heart and it was like a light bulb came on: This is the typical behavior many people in the world, and Christians are sometimes the worst about it.

I mean trust me, I get it. We are all humans, and we all make mistakes, whether intentionally or unintentionally. We have been the ones hurt and we have done the hurting.

Ephesians 4 says to “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice And be ye KIND one to another, tenderhearted, FORGIVING one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

We wonder why everyone is walking around sick and depressed all the time but even the Mayo Clinic’s website (mayoclinic.org) tells us that “Forgiveness and letting go can lead you down a path of healing and peace.”

It took me many years, many mistakes, and losing a child, but it finally clicked . . . . LOVE AND FORGIVENESS GO HAND IN HAND.

Christians have been forgiven of the greatest of offenses. We have been forgiven for knowingly, purposefully, and unrepentantly transgressing the law of God.

Think about this . . . even after knowing all God forgives us for we are still slow to forgive others for even the smallest of transgressions. Shame on us! And trust me, I’m pointing the finger at myself . . . shame on me!

Even the biggest of sins committed against us is nothing compared to how all of us sin against God daily. God does not honor this kind of attitude.

I’m reminded of something my son would say when he was little and he and his friends were fighting over Legos or video games: ”Can’t we all just love each other and get along? I like it better when we don’t fight.”

Let me leave you with this scripture: “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25).

I believe love and forgiveness is the one of most important topics of the Scriptures. To truly walk with our Father, we have to love others and learn how to forgive. I have had to write many letters over the last few weeks asking others to forgive me for my actions.

Trust me, pride will be the first thing that tries to rise up as you’re asking forgiveness, but it’s up to you if you let pride get in the way of the ask.

I encourage you to pray, then try to make asking forgiveness a priority today. You just might have the best day of your life.