Few sermons have evoked as much response as several I recently preached about forgiveness. Most of the comments are related to how difficult it can be to really forgive as God has forgiven us (especially forgiving our enemies). And that is so true. But in order for us to be healed from the brokenness of hurts caused by others, it is essential that we forgive. It’s really for our own good. Because until we forgive, unforgiveness acts like an acid that slowly eats away at our soul, and can have a negative effect on our health and our other relationships.
So how are we to forgive as God, in Christ, has forgiven us? Well, Christ-like forgiveness is not a feeling, it is an act of will. So make the decision to forgive, whether the other person deserves it or not. It doesn’t help you any to harbor ill-will toward someone…it actually causes you emotional pain and physical harm. And who needs that?
Like in the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers…make a decision to not let you or your relationship with the other person be defined by what that person has done to harm you. This doesn’t mean to forget about it, because that doesn’t really happen anyway. Just promise yourself to stop thinking about it, stop talking about it, and stop letting it define who you are in relation to this person and to others.
In a way, that’s what forgiveness is all about…the refusal to let past hurts and harms define our future for us. Note that Joseph never actually says, ‘I forgive you’ to his brothers…but he does make it clear that he is not going to let what occurred in the past define him or their relationship moving forward.
Accept the gift of God’s grace and forgiveness that is yours in and through Jesus Christ…and allow yourself to be changed by it. Whatever it is you might hold against others who have wounded you, it’s nothing compared to the sin God has forgiven in you.
Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
revroy+
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