Unforgiveness

Unforgiveness is wicked. It is spiritually, emotionally, and physically destructive. It takes and takes, and gives nothing in return. What’s more, we see from scripture that our forgiveness from God is contingent upon our forgiving others. Eternity, literally heaven and hell hangs in the balance of our willingness to forgive. The destiny of our souls rests on our decision to forgive, or not forgive, one another.

Matthew 6:14-15 makes this principle abundantly clear. When we forgive our brothers and sisters who have sinned against us, God will forgive us. But when we don’t show forgiveness, God will not forgive us.

Ephesians 4:32 goes on to say we need to show the forgiveness that Christ God has first shown us. We need to show compassion to our brothers and sisters. How could we not? We were undeserving of the forgiveness God showed us. How could we possibly say someone else is not worthy of our forgiveness?

Understand this: we are not forgiving others for them. We are forgiving them for us. Our lack of forgiving a person doesn’t keep them chained. It keeps us chained. There is a freedom that comes when we forgive. As we pray today, the chains that fall will be falling from us. Even if people never forgive us, it doesn’t matter. We will be free. We will be made right with God.