The New Under Ground Church-THE TRUTH MUST BE TOLD: The Hard Part of Forgiveness (pt 2)

Monday, July 28, 2014

The Hard Part of Forgiveness (pt 2)

Posted on July 28, 2014 by nhiemstra

I don’t know who to credit for this, but it is an excellent definition of Forgiveness:

To forgive means to restore a bond of love and communion when there has been a rupture. Sin ruptures our relationship with God and others, as also do offenses taken and given among people.

You know, when we have a conflict with someone, we always try to justify our side, and no longer look at them as a person, but only as the object of our anger and hurt. Somehow they have injured our pride or self-esteem. Our expectations or dreams have been disappointed. We lost something very valuable to us, and by golly we want them to pay for what they said/did . . . we tell ourselves, “I’m not going to forgive them because they never accept responsibility for what they did” or “I’m not going to forgive them because I would be a hypocrite because I do not feel like forgiving.”
That my friends is the reaction of our sinful nature. We prefer to categorize that individual in terms of what they said or did to us. Well, you better let it go, because the longer you nurture that anger and alienation, the more deeply the resentment is going to take hold of our heart. It will ruin your prayer life and your relationship to the Lord wibe weakened — or destroyed.

The resentment is like a cancer that will slowly eat away at you if you continue to refuse to forgive! It will leak out and damage all of your other relationships, because they will get tired of hearing you slander and gossip about that person as you try to draw others to your own side. Oh sure, they shouldn’t listen to your complaints . . . but they do!

Forgiveness means overlooking the sin or transgression, and restoring a bond of love. It does not mean justifying the offensive action or accepting it as right, nor does it mean justifying one’s own anger or sinful reaction. Forgiveness means laying aside our judgments of the other person and our own sinful reactions, and accepting others for who they are.
Our Father’s forgiveness is unconditional and absolute. And as Jesus put it, “If you are willing to forgive others who have done something wrong to you, and simply let any resentment and bitterness go, your heavenly Father will do the same for you.
“However, if you refuse to forgive others, even for their reckless and willful sins against you, neither will your Father forgive you your sins against Him” (Matthew 6:14-15)
No, our God may not punish you outright, but if you continue to alienate yourself from Him with your unforgiveness, you will be punishing yourself. You will turn in on yourself in anger and self-hatred, which will shatter your relationship with Him, cutting yourself off from His love.

If you will let go of that unforgiveness, you will open yourself to His love and acceptance, His grace and compassion. Sure, those things were there already, but you were neglecting them with your unforgiveness. Quit trying to justify your anger. LET IT GO! That is the only way you will find a Victorious Life.
Nickolas

With these Morning Messages, I take you on guided tours to, as Bunyan described, the Celestial City. At times we linger at corners familiar and unseen. And explore the depths of our faith along the way.

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