Forgiveness Is The Key

Forgiveness Is The Key “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, I repent, forgive him. Luke 17:3-4 Forgiveness is such an important part of our Christian life. Unless we are able to forgive others that sin against us, God tells us that we will never be able to experience a lasting relationship with him. If we have bitterness inside, it is going to contaminate everything that comes out of us. It will affect our personalities and our attitudes. We need to examine our hearts to make sure we haven’t buried anger and unforgiveness on the inside. It is often so difficult for many Christians to forgive someone who has harmed them, but God gives us no leeway in this regard, as he plainly tells us that we are to forgive anyone who sins against us. Our forgiveness must be unlimited, and we cannot carry any bitterness or hatred for the person that has sinned against us. Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” There is no room for any lack of forgiveness on our part when we look at the word of God. In the parable of the unmerciful servant Jesus gives us a clue as to how someone that does not have forgiveness in his heart will be dealt with, as the servant was turned over to the jailers to be tortured. Forgiveness is such a necessary ingredient in letting go of the past, and in so many families is one of the most difficult obstacles for people to overcome. Forgiveness is a choice, but it is not an option if we want to live a happy and joy filled life. If we can learn to forgive, and demonstrate this in our actions and lives to our children, what a wonderful lesson we have taught them. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven​ February 19