Forgiven so that I can forgive

Forgiveness is the greatest gift we can receive and the greatest gift we can give.  There is absolutely nothing one can do to earn it and to give it requires the greatest generosity and grace.

Forgiveness though is one of the major components in our walk to freedom because forgiveness breaks the bondage of sin in our lives.  It starts first of all when we ask for and receive God’s forgiveness.  We were destined for death and eternal separation from God ‘because the wages of sin is death BUT the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ Romans 6:23.  Christ took our sin on the cross and died in our place and by faith we ask for and receive his forgiveness. The power of sin and death in our lives is broken.  We are free.

However what God has freely given us, has to be freely given.  As Joyce Meyer says, ‘if you want to walk the love walk, you must walk the path of forgiveness.’  We cannot love and be loved by God and hold others in bondage to our unforgiveness. If we only realised the damage bitterness, grudges and offence does to our souls we would forgive much more readily.  Unforgiveness is like a poison that damages our whole lives.  Forgiveness does not just release us from the poison, it causes our lives to blossom and flourish. 

In the UK there were two parents who lost their children in tragic circumstances.  One lost a son to a child murderer and one lost a daughter to an IRA bomb. The one who lost their son was a bitter, resentful person for years.  The one who lost their daughter to the bomb went on television and publicly said they forgave the bombers.  God used him greatly to spread the message of peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.  He travelled the world bringing a message of hope based on forgiveness.  The other lived out her days eaten up by resentment and unforgiveness.

Forgiveness is not easy.  It does not mean nothing happened or that we pretend nothing happened.  It is not saying that it was not important or that it didn’t hurt us deeply.  It requires us to look honestly at a hurt, offence or misdeed and say I choose to forgive.  I choose to give someone a gift they do not deserve and I am going to let them go free from my criticism and judgement.  Forgiveness is a choice and has nothing to do with feelings.  We may forgive and still feel angry and hurt but as we continue to forgive and declare the other person free from our judgement and offence, our feelings will follow. 

Be quick to forgive so the devil cannot build a stronghold of offence and unforgiveness in your life which is much harder to demolish. 

   Today I encourage you to forgive those who have hurt and offended you or those whom you love.  Jesus exhorts us to show the same forgiveness that we have received from God to others (Matthew 18: 21 – 35).  Give them the same free gift that God has freely given you.