Forgive to Be Forgiven

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our deptors." - Matthew 6:12

Few things are more precious to receive than forgiveness. After carrying the burden of our sin, it is wonderfully freeing to know that the one we have wronged has completely forgiven us. Jesus told His disciples to ask God for forgiveness everytime they prayed. Jesus knew that we would daily incur debts against God, as we fall short of his standard. A day does not go by that we do not need to ask God to remove our debt against Him.

Jesus warned that we should expect forgiveness from God as we forgive those who sin against us, for God will forgive us in the same way we forgive others (Matt. 6:15). God's nature is forgiveness (Exodus 34:6-7). If we are to be His disciples, we must follow His example. If God will forgive our most relentless enemy, we can do nothing less. Jesus did not say that certain offenses are unworthy of our forgiveness. We have no biblical excuse for allowing unforgiveness in our hearts.

If you choose to withhold forgiveness from somone, your worship and prayers are futile (Matt. 5:23-24). So I ask whom does unforgiveness hurt the most? Who is really being keep away from God and by whom? If you think about it closely, you are keeping yourself away from God. You are cutting off the one and only life line that you have to get through the situation. Ask God to make you aware of those dark corners in your life, where you are holding resentment. An awareness of your own need for forgiveness will put the offenses of others in their proper light. Ask God to make you like Christ so that, even when you are being persecuted, you can pray, "Father, forgive them." Doing this will draw you closer to him. It will also demonstrate that you love him completely. You are forgiving that other person and trusting God, for his solution vs. your own. Now can you trust the creator of the universe?