Forgiveness is powerful.
Unforgiveness is equally powerful, however it is deadly powerful.
I’ve heard it said… unforgiveness is like taking poison expecting your enemy to die. Unforgiveness only hurts yourself and will destroy a relationship.
But it goes even deeper than that because the Bible says…
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. -Matthew 6:14,15
Ummm I need God to forgive me. That is most important so I will always forgive, even if it’s hard.
Living with unforgiveness ruins your life one way or another. It steals your joy. It creates resentment, animosity, anger and even hate… especially if someone keeps hurting you and keeps hurting you and keeps hurting you and you can’t leave. You cannot get away from them because that is where God put you.
Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you- although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to. -1 Corinthians 7:20-24
God won’t let me leave so I have to stay and forgive…. and forgive and forgive and forgive and forgive and forgive and forgive…. and humble myself and forgive and forgive over and over again and again and again… the pain I can’t bare it anymore. I’m humiliated. I wish I could get away from this man and never let him see me again. But I can’t. Like, God really won’t let me. And I’m glad because I don’t really want to leave. I want my family. I love my family. My family is my world. What would I do without my family?
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him , canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant.’ he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart. -Matthew 18:21-35
It’s funny how people want to be forgiven but don’t want to forgive, or they’ll say they’ll forgive But they’ll never forget.
Well the Bible says…
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” -Jeremiah 31:34c
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” By calling this covenant “new,” He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. -Hebrews 8:12,13
“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. -Hebrews 10:16-18
When God forgives us, He forgets our sin… not just the first time, but every time. Think about it. We sin everyday. Someway, somehow, most of us sin every day. Even gossip is sin