Devotion 8/29, Forgiveness
If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:14
When we refuse to forgive those who have sinned against us our fellowship with Father God is hindered and we do not receive the blessings that He has for us in this life until we forgive those who have wronged us.
Unforgiveness towards others is a miserable way to live! We’ve all known individuals who have become bitter, resentful people because they refuse to show forgiveness to someone in their lives. They have no joy of the Lord because their unforgiveness has sucked all the joy out of their life, it has almost become a god to them!
This is why God commands us to forgive others, it is not for the benefit of those we forgive, it is for our own good so that we do not lose the joy and peace of the Lord in our life and become ineffective for Christ.
God wants to see his forgiveness kept in circulation and passed on to others by us. God joyously pours out more forgiveness and love into us as we forgive others (Romans 5:5). As hard as it is for us to forgive someone who has harmed and wounded us, Jesus wants us to know that the blessings far outweigh the costs!
Loving and just God, thank you for cleansing and forgiving me through the atoning sacrifice of your Son, Jesus. Thank you for challenging me to forgive others as you have forgiven me. Thank you for demanding that your people be a community of forgiveness. Forgive us, and especially forgive me, when we are reluctant, slow, and hesitant with our forgiveness. We ask you to bless us with your love and grace as the Holy Spirit heals our hearts from their wounds. I ask for this power to forgive and heal, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Father, you sacrificed your son to wash away my sins. The sacrificial cross is Your symbol of your love for us and the forgiveness of our sins. I pray that today we focus on that cross and our forgiveness, that we forgive others as you have forgiven us. Free us from resentment and bitterness and fill us with the joy of the Holy Spirit, that we may live today to glorify You in all we say and do. Amen.
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