6-8-09 Forgiveness

Forgiveness

When we receive salvation, we receive the promise of God that our sins are forgiven and He removes them from us and remembers them no more. That is so wonderful that He forgets them—why can’t we do that!!!

We ask for forgiveness and then we wonder if we are really forgiven for them and has God really forgotten them. It doesn’t matter to Him if our sins are little or huge they are still sin in His eyes and when we ask forgiveness for them, He forgives and forgets them. His forgiveness is complete because Jesus’ work is complete. Because of the cross, God can show His mercy and complete forgiveness to us.

God is not like us. We remember hurts for a long time. In our mind we say that we have forgiven someone who has hurt us but then we keep remembering the hurt. I have heard many Christians say that they have forgiven someone who hurt them but they just can’t forget it. If we can’t forget that hurt, then we really haven’t forgiven them either. When God forgives He also forgets. Being His child that is what He expects us to do also. His forgiveness is unending. He never stops forgiving. We know that He will always forgive.
As His forgiveness is unending and is to be shared with others as He has shared with us.

Sometimes, the hardest place to start is in our own home. Jesus tells us in His word that we are to forgive one another “Seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22) and this is just for one sin. We ask ourselves, “How many times do we need to forgive someone for the same thing over and over?” God doesn’t put a limit on the number of times He forgives. Therefore, we just keep forgiving and praying that they will learn to avoid that same sin and grow from their mistakes. God’s forgiveness changes us as it changes others.

How can we learn from our mistakes? We need to learn to take these sins to the Lord and ask for forgiveness and then accept His forgiveness for them. Trust in His promise that He has forgiven you and that you have received His mercy through Jesus Christ. Our sins have been forgotten and we have a clean slate and second chances. We know that only God can give us that. Ask the Lord to bring to your remembrance people who have wronged you and make a list of them. Then pray and forgive them and the hurt that you felt. Ask the Lord to help you forgive each person and that the resentment will be gone. Forgiveness is a two-way street. God has forgiven you and now you need to forgive others.

It is sometimes hard for us to accept that we have been the cause of hurt to anyone. We all have been guilty of this at times. After praying this through and giving it to the Father, we may need to go to that person and make things right whether it is in person or by calling them or even writing them. This will set both of you free.

After you have done these things, you can begin to praise and thank the Lord that you are free indeed. Now you can become a forgiving person and not a bitter person. The Lord tells us to “be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).

The Lord is an awesome God and we are His children and are to be like Him in all His ways. Be set free so the love that you have within you can be given to others. Truly be His disciple and lead others into a forgiving and loving way.

Rejoice and claim the forgiveness He has given to you.

Diane Harper