Forgiveness

Forgiveness. Oh my. What a difficult thing! Sometimes it's easy, and other times hard. It depends what the circumstances are, am I right? If it's one thing I've learned this year, it's forgiveness. Or you could say I was scared into it by a certain Bible verse that I'm sure many people have been scared by.

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." - Matthew 6:14-15

I was flipping through Matthew one day, when I stumbled upon that verse, and I've kept it in my head ever since as a reminder. For some people forgiveness is a touchy subject. Maybe something happened that made them bitter towards it. Maybe a friend hurt you and your having trouble letting that go?

Whatever the case may be, it doesn't change that it's difficult, am I right? But you know what? By holding that grudge, it's not benefiting anyone. It's always best to forgive. Does you holding that grudge affect them in any way? No. It doesn't. They'll go on with life, not caring at all and living life like they've done nothing wrong. And you'll be left feeling bitter about it. Not cool. So let me ask you again? What is the benefit of NOT forgiving someone? There is none. What is the benefit of forgiving someone? Everything! You no longer have that bitterness inside and you no longer have that raging anger that makes you want to pop their heads off like barbie dolls! AWESOME, EH? Yes, I think so.

When Jesus was on the cross what did He do? Let's take a look at that in Luke 23 right now.

32. Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.

33. When they came to the place called the Skull, the crucified him there, along with the criminals- one on his right, the other on his left.

34. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Can you believe it? Jesus is there being tortured and nailed to a cross and he asks God to forgive them!!! UNBELIEVABLE! But yet, that's how forgiving Jesus was. And is. And that's how forgiving we need to be. That's what they mean by forgiving those who hurt us. We need to be like God in that way. He forgives every single thing we do, no matter how big, and no matter how small! We need to be like that. If someone hurts you, you need to forgive them.

"And whenever you stand and praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." - Mark 11:25

"Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times? Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven." -Matthew 18:21-22

"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven." -Luke 6:36-37

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." -Ephesians 4:32

"Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook and offense." -Proverbs 19:11

And like I said in my previous post on Love Your Enemies (http://daughteroftheone.blogspot.com/2011/05/just-to-let-you-know-this-isnt-for-my.html)

"To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."

Then his master summoned him and said to him, "You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?" And in his anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." -Matthew 18:32-35

Stephen was the perfect example of forgiveness:

"And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep." -Acts 7:59-60

So was Paul:

"At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!" -2nd Timothy 4:16

And Joseph as well:

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones" Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." -Genesis 50:20-21

Why don't you give it a go?

Remember: ‎Forgiveness doesn't always mean forgetting... It doesn't always mean being best friends again with the person that hurt you. It means moving on from the hurt. It means knowing that the hurt is there, but not acting on the anger that it produced. It means learning to let go. And it means being able to greet that person with a smile on your face, no matter what.

The first step to forgiveness is acknowledging that it hurt you and learning how to move on from that hurt.

The second step: Overcome the anger that it gives you. Reading scriptures help a lot.

The third step: Greeting that person with a smile and showing God's love.

Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving. - Dale Carnegie