‘Forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.’ Ephesians 4:32 NIV
If you would like to start the New Year with a clean slate and travelling lighter, let go of the old grudges that are weighing you down. Philip Yancey describes forgiveness as ‘an unnatural act’. He says, ‘You don’t find dolphins forgiving sharks for eating their playmates. It’s a dog-eat-dog world… not dog-forgive-dog.’ Bitterness and hatred come naturally when you have been hurt. Forgiving is supernatural and requires the grace of God. Remember, Jesus said, ‘If you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.’ (Matthew 6:15 NIV).
Think about it—there is not one single reason God should ever forgive our sins, yet He pardons us for offences far outweighing anything we will ever be asked to forgive anyone else for. The Bible says to forgive ‘each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.’ Forgiveness opens the doors of a prison where you are both the prisoner and the jailor. Grudges not only isolate you from people who were once friends, they shorten your life by contributing to many physical ailments.
One man told his counsellor, ‘I wish my brother could come to my wedding, but we haven’t spoken in years.’ The counsellor asked, ‘How come?’ Pausing, the man said, ‘It sounds ridiculous now, but I don’t even remember!’ Drifting apart is the natural result of an unforgiving spirit; forgiveness reverses the trend by healing broken relationships. It’s a scientific fact that forgiveness adds years to life. As a rule, when you talk to individuals who have passed the eighty-year mark, you find they’re at peace with themselves because they have learned to forgive and let go.
SoulFood: Rom 13:12–14, 2 Cor 5:17, Eph 4:22–24
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©