For-GIVE-ness
“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 heavenly Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14
There are a couple of reasons that we may be reluctant to forgive an offense. The first is that many people believe that forgiveness indicates acceptance. It does not. We may forgive an offender but we’re not condoning the offense. Our forgiveness does not suggest that we now think whatever the other person did is all right.
The second reason is about reconciliation. When a sin is large enough to cause a rift in a relationship we may be disinclined to forgive because we fear that means reestablishing the torn relationship. That isn’t always the case.
Some sins may cause a temporary rift. Perhaps the people involved need some time apart to recognize the sin that exists between them. Maybe they just need a cooling off period and when the apology is offered and accepted they then move toward a new relationship.
Other times the sin is just too grave and the hurt too deep for a relationship of any kind to exist. In those cases it is still important to forgive and if possible make the other person aware that you have in fact forgiven them. Forgiveness frees us to move on. No one harboring resentment is going to move very far in life. Resentment and bitterness can hold us hostage as surely as sin that is not confessed.
Even when a relationship can be saved it most likely won’t be the same. Very few things, once broken can be repaired “as good as new”. Somewhere the glue shows. It is the same with relationships. If the hurt goes deep enough it leaves a mark behind. Sometimes we are blessed to move on and grow stronger in spite of the rift. Other times we need to forgive and let go.
Trust God to show you what can and can not be salvaged but no matter what, forgive. It isn’t worth the price we pay if we don’t. Remember forgiveness can never be earned it can only be given. For-GIVE-ness.
There are a couple of reasons that we may be reluctant to forgive an offense. The first is that many people believe that forgiveness indicates acceptance. It does not. We may forgive an offender but we’re not condoning the offense. Our forgiveness does not suggest that we now think whatever the other person did is all right.
The second reason is about reconciliation. When a sin is large enough to cause a rift in a relationship we may be disinclined to forgive because we fear that means reestablishing the torn relationship. That isn’t always the case.
Some sins may cause a temporary rift. Perhaps the people involved need some time apart to recognize the sin that exists between them. Maybe they just need a cooling off period and when the apology is offered and accepted they then move toward a new relationship.
Other times the sin is just too grave and the hurt too deep for a relationship of any kind to exist. In those cases it is still important to forgive and if possible make the other person aware that you have in fact forgiven them. Forgiveness frees us to move on. No one harboring resentment is going to move very far in life. Resentment and bitterness can hold us hostage as surely as sin that is not confessed.
Even when a relationship can be saved it most likely won’t be the same. Very few things, once broken can be repaired “as good as new”. Somewhere the glue shows. It is the same with relationships. If the hurt goes deep enough it leaves a mark behind. Sometimes we are blessed to move on and grow stronger in spite of the rift. Other times we need to forgive and let go.
Trust God to show you what can and can not be salvaged but no matter what, forgive. It isn’t worth the price we pay if we don’t. Remember forgiveness can never be earned it can only be given. For-GIVE-ness.
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