Forgiving Others

Scriptures:  Ephesians 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.    Galatians 5:22-25 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering (forbearance) , gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

In Ephesians 4:32, Paul the Apostle didn’t say “forgiving another”.  He said “forgiving one another”.  That means that I may have to forgive someone today, but more than likely I will need to be forgiven from time to time.  It’s a mutual/reciprocal thing.  Ugh….   It’s so easy for me to point to and/or think about how I have been offended by someone.  There have been times in my life that it took a long time for me to admit that I had offended someone and to properly deal with it.  When there is an offense, it doesn’t matter who is at fault anyway.  It’s important that our sins are acknowledged, confessed and turned away from. It is important that we forgive each other.  After all, we all have faults/shortcomings.  We all have different personalities, and we deal with circumstances/conflicts in various ways.  The Lord Jesus Christ forgives us so completely, but sometimes it is a struggle for us to quickly forgive.  Christ forgives us and never throws up in our faces what we have done in the past. He forgives so graciously, and He is so merciful.  It is good to know that because we have invited Jesus Christ into our lives, we have all that we need  (i.e., the Holy Spirit – fruit of the Spirit)  to be victorious in the area of forgiving others and forgiving ourselves for the sinful things we have done or do.  We have to yield, surrender, our fleshly ways, and live/walk in the Spirit.  Galatians 2:20 says “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”.  Romans 6:1-6 says What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. “

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father --  Thank You for totally forgiving me and giving me all that I need to forgive others and myself for offenses.  Help me to choose to yield, surrender, take the low road in situations – that You will get the glory. Help me to forgive others as You have forgiven me.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

(by Marsha Williams)