2023-10-19
Job 5:2 NIV
For reasons known only to God and Satan, Job lost his money, his children, and his health. If ever a man had cause to be resentful, it was him. But Eliphaz advised him, “Resentment kills a fool.” In other words, “The only thing that can hurt me more than what has already happened is allowing resentment to rule my mind and dictate my actions.”
You say, “But I want justice!” How much justice? Imagine your enemy for a moment. Picture him strapped to a whipping post. The strong-armed man with a whip turns to you and asks, “How many lashes?” And you give a number. The whip cracks, the blood flows, and the punishment is inflicted. Your foe slumps to the ground, and you walk away. Are you happy now? Do you feel better? Are you at peace? For a little while, but soon another memory will surface, and another lash will be needed.
When does it all stop? It stops when you take seriously the words of Jesus: “If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15 NIV).
When you pray, “Treat me as I treat my neighbour” (See Matthew 6:12), are you aware of what you’re really saying to God? “Give me what I give them. Grant me the same peace I grant them. Let me enjoy the same tolerance I offer them.” If you want peace, make peace. If you want God’s generosity, be generous to others. If you want the assurance of God’s forgiveness, extend forgiveness to others.
Soul food: 2 Sam 12:1-14:20; John 4:39-54; Ps 87; Prov 24:1-4
2023-08-28
Jeremiah 31:18 KJV
When we have been hurt, our first instinct is to retaliate. We know it’s wrong because the Bible says we must forgive in order to be forgiven (See Mark 11:25). We also know that bitterness can hurt us physically and emotionally. But sometimes we can’t bring ourselves to forgive, so we keep wrestling with it in our mind. Stop and think what happens in a wrestling match. You focus on your opponent, clinging to them and trying to control them. Your aim is to put them on the mat and bring them into submission, and it requires all your energy. Plus, you risk getting hurt in the process.
The only real power you have over someone who hurts you is the power of forgiveness. So for your own sake, forgive them and move on! Even though you don’t feel like forgiving, pray, “Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.” In other words, “Lord, make me willing to forgive.” The old saying, “To err is human, to forgive is divine,” is the truth.
Now, small offenses can be forgiven quickly, but big ones require divine assistance. And you can have it: “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13 NLT). Yes, you may want your offender to suffer, but when your greatest desire is to please the Lord, He will give you the grace to forgive. When you realize the blessings God has in store for you in the future, you will refuse to spend another moment stuck in the past.
Soul food: Gal 1-3; Mark 8:27-38; Ps 119:145-160; Prov 19:1-2
2023-08-25
Matthew 18:21 NKJV
The Bible says, “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him… ‘up to seventy times seven'” (vv. 21-22 NKJV). Seventy times seven equals 490 times. And it’s your “brother,” someone you have to live or work with, whom you’re called to forgive. In essence Jesus was saying, “Forgive, and keep on forgiving if you want to have a relationship with this person.”
Let’s face it, we all make mistakes because we’re flawed in different ways. Perfection only exists in God. Recall Jesus’ words: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34 KJV). Truer words have never been spoken, and very few concepts are more significant to remember in a relationship.
While it’s perfectly normal to feel anger, and a natural human reaction to feel mistreated, there is a big difference between healthy anger and the corrosive emotion of bitterness. Bitterness is relational cancer. As Dr. Maya Angelou said, “[Bitterness] feeds upon the host. It does nothing to the object of the displeasure.” In this case, the “host” is your relationship, and forgiveness is the medication and the cure.
Jesus said, “As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31 KJV). Offering the degree of forgiveness you wish to receive ensures that your relationship stays healthy and free from the disease of bitterness. Is it sometimes hard to do? Yes, but if you pray, God will give you the grace to do it!
Soul food: Judg 16:1-19:15; Mark 8:1-13; Ps 119:129-136; Prov 18:21
2023-05-05
Ephesians 4:32 NLT
The Bible says: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (vv. 31-32 NLT).
Are you struggling to forgive someone? Here is a prayer: “Lord, I praise you for forgiving me and washing my sins away. Reveal anything I need to confess to you today so that I can bring it before you and be cleansed and set free, especially any place in my heart where I have not forgiven someone. I know how subtly resentment and bitterness can build up and hinder my prayers. I recognize that my lack of forgiveness toward others can keep me from experiencing your forgiveness (See Mark 11:25). To say that I need your help to forgive others the way you have always been forgiving toward me is a huge understatement. You forgave the unforgivable on the cross. I acknowledge that I am incapable of forgiving on my own. Remind me that I cannot make my forgiveness conditional upon whether people deserve it or not, and that the focus of my heart must remain on becoming more like you. Give me grace to forgive, and not hold forgiveness back until the other person says or does what I think they should. Take away anything of anger, bitterness, or resentment in my heart. Pour out your Spirit upon me and cleanse me of all that’s not of you. Enable me to walk in the forgiveness you have given me and to extend it to others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
Soul food: Num 7; Matt 6:1-18; Ps 37:8-15; Prov 11:3
2023-03-25
Luke 6:37 NIV
Here are three more steps to forgiveness: (1) Accept people as they are and don’t try to change them. You say, “I’ll only forgive them if they change.” That just keeps you tied to them, obsessing over what they did and demanding they act in ways that you approve of. Nothing makes people less willing to change than when you try to control them and demand that they meet your requirements. Changing people isn’t your job – it’s God’s job! Your job is to choose to forgive and leave the outcome in God’s hands. The formula for healing is simple: forgive, let go, and let God.
(2) See your offender as God’s tool for your growth. It’s easier to forgive someone when you stop seeing them as Satan’s agent sent to destroy you, and begin seeing them as God’s instrument to develop you. The life of Joseph speaks to this principle. The path that led him from the pit to the palace was paved by injustice, disappointment, and betrayal. But God used each painful circumstance to get him to his destiny. And God can do that for you.
(3) Try reconciling with your offender. Reconciliation is God’s nature. “When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10 KJV). And what God did for you, He wants you to do for whoever you are at odds with. Jesus made reconciliation a top priority by saying, “Leave your gift there before the altar… First be reconciled… then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:24 NKJV). Yes, it will take selflessness and humility on your part, but the return is worth the investment!
Soul food: Job 24-28; Luke 21:1-11; Ps 38:1-12; Prov 8:22-23
