THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS!
Do you know that forgiveness isn’t so much about setting another person free? It is about your freedom! Unforgiveness puts a person in bondage! Have you ever felt like this before?… If someone does me wrong, I will forgive them, but if they keep doing it, especially more than once during the same day, that’s where I draw the line. Listen to what Jesus said regarding this subject.
“One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.” The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” Luke 17:1-4 NLT
Jesus said, even if a person wrongs you seven times a day, but each time turns and asks for forgiveness, we must forgive. When reading this in context, we realize that forgiving or not forgiving a weak brother or sister who keeps failing is very serious to God. Jesus said if you don’t forgive that person, you could be a source of temptation that makes them fall. He said that it would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones (in the faith) to fall into sin (because of discouragement). Consider Apostle Paul’s words on the subject.
Rom 15:1-4 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.
Maybe there’s someone in your life who keeps hurting you or failing you in some way. I pray that this word will be an encouragement for you today to press into the forgiveness of God for your own life so that you can forgive your weak brother or sister. After the disciples heard Jesus’ discourse on forgiving a weak brother, they said to the Lord, “ Show us how to increase our faith.” They understood that this was not an easy task and asked for help from the Lord! They were right! Forgiving is difficult, especially when the offense is repeated! A telltale sign of maturity in Christ is the ability to forgive!
The power to forgive others is the realization of the forgiveness you have been granted in Christ. If you still live in condemnation because of your failures, it will be very difficult to forgive others for their failures. Therefore, with the humble, believing heart of a child, we must receive from the Lord the complete forgiveness and righteousness he offers us through Jesus. Question: Do you believe that you are 100% perfect in God’s sight? You can never be righteous in God’s sight by works; only complete trust in the blood of Jesus gives you the ability to stand before God unashamed!
My prayer for you today is that you would, like the disciples, go to God in prayer regarding forgiveness. I pray that you will understand that forgiveness is ultimately is an act of God through you that is made possible by faith. The power to forgive comes fully accepting the forgiveness of God! My dear friend, it is time for the force of the love and forgiveness of God to overcome us! When you forgive someone else you will free yourself from bondage and step into a deeper life of God’s abundance! Oh yes! It is time to step into...
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS!