Wasting FaithEsimerkki

DAY 5: UNFORGIVENESS

It can be very difficult to forgive others, especially when they have hurt us recently, or when they have hurt us in a very severe way. However, we are called to forgive others, to pursue peace, and to turn the other cheek. We are not called to defend our name, to stand up for ourselves, or to fight for what we desire; we are called to be merciful, to be forgiving, and to put others above ourselves. If we do not forgive others, we will not be able to see all that God wants to do in our lives. In Mark 11, Jesus tells Peter,

“...whenever you stand 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, ESV]

As we have previously discussed, one of the ways we can squander the gift of faith that we have received is by failing to repent from our sins. If we wish to repent, we must ask for forgiveness, and if we want to receive forgiveness, we must forgive others. Who are we to deny forgiveness to others when Christ has forgiven us?

In my experience, there are many things that are hard to forgive somebody for. However, whenever I have needed to forgive somebody, all I needed to do was ask God to help me forgive the person in question. God has always answered my prayers for help in forgiving somebody, and His answer came very quickly. Some of the hardest things to forgive became incredibly easy when I prayed and asked God for help. If you are struggling to forgive others, go somewhere where you can be alone with God, pray, and ask God to help you. Tell God exactly what you are struggling with, tell Him how you feel, and trust that He hears you, He loves you, and He answers prayers.

When you forgive others, you will be blessed, you will be in the position to do more for God than ever before, and you will experience the peace and joy that come with obeying God’s Word.

REFLECT:

1. Do you know of anybody that you need to forgive?
2. If you need to forgive somebody, what is preventing you from forgiving them? Ask God to help you forgive them today.
3. How does God help us when we ask Him for help in obeying His Word?