We’ve been challenged so far to trust and to give, and this
week, perhaps the most difficult yet, Jesus says to forgive.
Forgiveness is another topic where the rest of the world
may say one thing, while Jesus commands the opposite. The world says worry,
Jesus says trust. The world says store up, Jesus says give away. The world says
it’s ok to hold a grudge, Jesus says let it go.
If you think about it, the
world keeps telling us to think about our self,
while Jesus wants us to think about God
and subsequently others instead.
When looking on forgiveness and restoring relationships, it’s
easy to keep our attention on our self
and the bitterness/anger that we are
entitled to because of how we were
wronged and how it made us feel. Yet
staying in that place hurts the same person we’re focused on: our self. What has helped me in my own
unforgiveness and bitterness has been turning the attention away from me and up
toward God, and in doing so I am given the ability, the reason, the push to
forgive others.
Away from self, toward God, extending to others.
Romans 5:8 reminds us that “God showed his
great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
While we were still in the wrong, God loved us, showed it, and restored our
relationship with Him. We hadn’t yet offered an apology, we weren’t in any way remorseful,
perhaps we weren’t even aware of what we had done, but God forgave. “You
were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut
away. Then God made you alive
with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.” (Colossians
2:13)
God’s forgiveness toward us is the only example and motivation we need to
forgive others. If we can keep our focus on what God has done for the sake of
our relationship with Him, gratefulness and grace will eventually overflow out into our
relationships with others. It's important to realize forgiveness and restoration may or may not involve actual words being spoken, or apologies being offered, or even any recognition of doing
wrong (we hadn’t done any of those things when Christ died for us), but forgiveness does
involve God. And it’s His sincere desire for you to be like Him and forgive. Here’s what
our Savior, Teacher, and Friend said about it…
WEEK THREE:
Forgiveness in our Relationships
-Relate the story to what Christ has done for you. Who do you hold unforgiveness against?
-Think of the Golden Rule of treating others the way you want to be treated. If you refuse to forgive others, but desire that God forgives you, are you following Jesus' timeless advice?
-Think of an example of a speck in a certain friend's eye (a small fault) and a log in your own (a serious sin). Which does Jesus tell us to get a handle on first, another's speck or our own log? Why does this order make sense?
- According to Jesus, you should forgive that person 2,555+ times a year! Does this mean you must hang out with them everyday or invite them to hurt you? Where does Jesus tell us forgiveness toward others must come from? (*go back to Matt 18:35)
Lord, thank you for these words, even if they are a little difficult to hear. Thank you that you have forgiven us in Christ and we pray that the least we can do in return is offer that same, undeserved forgiveness to others. I pray I can keep my eyes on You and what you have done for me; please help me to forgive _____________ in my heart. Amen.
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| He's lucky this wasn't apology number 8 that day ;) |
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