“We talk glibly about forgiving when we have never been injured; when we are injured we know that it is not possible, apart from God’s grace, for one human being to forgive another.” Oswald Chambers
In her book “Choosing Forgiveness” Nancy Leigh DeMoss states, “I’ve come to believe that, whether they realize it or not, unforgiveness is, in fact, a very real issue for most people. Almost everyone has someone (or ones) they haven’t forgiven. Whenever I have spoken on this subject, after defining and describing forgiveness form a biblical perspective, I have asked the audience the question: ‘ how many of you would be honest enough to admit that there is a root bitterness in you heart that there are one or more people in your life-past of present that you’ve never forgiven?’”
Colossians 3:13-“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
Mark 11:25-“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that you Father also who is in heaven may forgive your trespasses.”
“Anything against anyone.” "That pretty much covers the bases. Doesn’t it? No offence is too great, no offender is beyond the boundary to which our forgiveness must extend. Our fellowship with God requires it and depends on it. So if we as believers persist in unforgiveness, our hearts are forced to wrestle with the fact that our actions amount to disobedience. The pathway of resentment and retaliation-God calls us to the pure, powerful, choice of forgiveness- and to pursue, wherever possible, the pathway of restoration and reconciliation. The outcome of our lives in not determined by what happens to us but by how we respond to what happens to us.”
This has begun to get me thinking. Here are a few questions that I have asked myself before and have had apply to my own life……
1. Is there a person or circumstance you have blamed for the way your life has turned out?
2. Is there someone who has wronged you that you’re still trying to make pay for there offence?
3. Can you think of a situation where you retaliated or became resentful, rather than forgiving someone who hurt you?
-Candace-
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"[Our] purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2-3
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About Me
- single focus family
- Our SINGLE FOCUS is Christ crucified for our sins. Our focus is not singleness or match-making. The unmarried state of our single members only serves to better position them for maintaining their focus and passion on Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This SINGLE FOCUS is demonstrated in their devotion to Christ, the local Church, learning and application of sound doctrine, worship, works of service, and Christian fellowship. Identifying one's future mate and the timing of marriage is confidently left in God's sovereign, wise, and loving hands. "The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord." (1 Corinthians 7:33-35)
5 comments:
Candace - funny you should post this. I have been reading about forgiveness too.
"Forgiveness, requires that you absorb certain effects of another person's sins and you release that person from liability to punishment. Forgiveness, full and free, is precisly what has been accomplished for us on Calvary. And the one who has been forgiven is now able to forgive others. Forgiven sinners forgive sin. Our sin against a holy God is a far greater injustice than anything that could be done to us."
Isn't that good! Thanks for sharing. See you this weekend :)
Christine
"forgiveness.... is more than saying sorry..."
A test of true forgiveness is what happens in your heart when that same someone commits the same sin against you again.
Kyle: "Are you sorry Chris? I forgive you Chris. Forgiveness...means accepting people's flaws...flaws."
Kevin: What a concise little proverb! (How's that for a redundant statement?) It goes right along with "The person who thinks they're humble really isn't," you know, the one you wrote a while back.
lol. Thats funny Amber
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