Wonder of GraceSample

Why Do I Need Other People?

The Church is incredible, but finding our place in it is not always easy.

Church can be messy. We don't always agree on everything; sometimes, there are character clashes, and sometimes people get hurt.

Jesus knew it would be hard. He was fully human and fully God, and He knew there would be challenges in building His Church. That is why He prayed specifically for us in John 17:20-21 that we would have unity.

But the biggest block to unity in the Church isn't the mess, the disagreements, or even the hurts – sadly, those will happen occasionally when any group of people gather. The biggest block is the unforgiveness we carry as a result. If you show me any break in a church, when you dig through the mess and the details and get to the bottom, you will always find unforgiveness, leading to bitterness and resentment and preventing people from moving on.

In 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, Paul tells us that we need to forgive so we don't let Satan take advantage of us. Satan hates the Church. He knows it’s God’s only plan to advance His Love and Kingdom here on Earth. Unresolved unforgiveness can be the greatest tool Satan can use against us.

Forgiveness is a choice. Yes, it’s tough. But in Luke 7:47, Jesus said that those who are forgiven much, love much, because forgiveness is an outpouring of the Grace we have received from God for our mistakes. When we fully understand how much we have been forgiven, it becomes easier to release forgiveness to others.

God is asking us to do what He has already done for us. When we do, we not only prevent the enemy from taking advantage of the situation, but we also create space for God to bring healing that enables us to move on and take our place in His plans.

The Grace we have received from God enables us to live in community with unity.

Reflect and Respond

Take a deeper dive into God’s Grace at www.graceandfreedomproject.com

Pray

Take some time to forgive those who have hurt you. Tell God exactly what you are forgiving them for and how it made you feel.