Are you a forgiving person?

Are you a forgiving person? How would you explain forgiveness is to a child? Could you share the importance of forgiveness with one who harbors resentment and refuses to forgive? Would your family and friends testify of your love for the Lord and forgiving spirit? Questions like these cause us to look deep within our own hearts - making sure we are right with the Lord and His children - before pointing fingers at others.

What is forgiveness? It’s a command not an option. If we don’t forgive every day of our lives, we will not be forgiven. It is a cleansing that comes when we confess our sins, a key that releases resentment and handcuffs of hatred. Forgiveness can break chains of bitterness and bring peace and joy beyond measure. It’s the first step toward fulfillment, hope, healing, and living happily ever after here and in heaven when our time on earth ends. It’s full pardon from the pain and penalty of sin. Forgiveness is possible only because of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Are you thinking of people in your life you need to forgive and those you have longed to forgive you? Praying and going to those we ‘have ought against’ with sincere hearts ready and willing to forgive can bring peace and joy unspeakable.

When Tim was battling cancer, our son kneeled beside his recliner with a prayer and plea for us to forgive anyone we had hard feelings toward. Tim and I were deeply moved by Cameron’s strong faith and sincere concern for his parents to seek forgiveness. We acted immediately with convicted hearts to forgive three people. I sat on the arm of Tim’s recliner and penned words from hearts that had been hurt but were ready to make things right. We signed the letters and sealed them with a prayer. The next day, I personally delivered each letter hoping they would be received in the spirit of love in which they were given. Oh, what joy came that night when Tim and I snuggled in his big chair watching westerns with no weariness weighing heavy on our hearts. In God’s perfect timing, I will share the blessings he sent and burdens He lifted, when we humbly heard our son’s plea and quickly obeyed God’s command to forgive. What we could not understand, God handled with tender loving care

! Yet, we had to make the choice to trust, obey, and forgive.

I urge you to step in faith and seek forgiveness from those whom you declared not to make amends with, have steered clear of, or stubbornly stood your ground over things of this world that can cause you to miss heaven. Eternity in hell - where God and loved ones gone before you who were right with HIM will not be - waits to consume those with hardened, unforgiving hearts, who have fallen away from the Word and way of Jesus and lost touch with the Lord.

An old hymn sheds light on God’s perspective of forgiving debts! “He paid a debt He did not owe. I owed

a debt I could not pay” Surely, everyone reading this understands debts being something we owe and a gift being free. Jesus paid the debt for our sins. His forgiveness costs us nothing but cost Him everything!

When sin goes unforgiven, it can consume with guilt, anger, and fear! Continuous sin leads to danger zones every which way we turn. The debt of sin can be like a noose around necks that can destroy God’s children. How thankful we should be that HE provided a way to escape.

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1: 13-14

When Christ forgives our sins…they are gone and forgotten.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12

When we live by faith in His grace, we can reject guilt and receive forgiveness. We must forgive ourselves and others! God forgives and we must do the same thing.

So, are we forgiving, faithful people ‘so in love with Jesus’… who lives in our hearts and homes? Do we live closely connected in right relationship with the Lord and loved ones? Are we willing to reach out and remind others to forgive those they have ought against, even if they might reject our plea? Do we obey and live by God’s greatest commandment… to love Him with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as ourselves? Ponder these things as God deals with your heart to forgive others as He forgives you. Talk to Jesus, spend time away from all that consumes, listen to His calling, and seek forgiveness from anyone your heart feels wrong toward. Just do it and see what God can do to bless you! “Be still, and know that He is God”!

And next week…read the rest of the story with joy, joy, joy, joy down in your heart to stay!