Today’s Holy Nougat is a promise worth living and believing.
““If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.” Matthew 6:14 NLT
For many of us, this is a hard promise to hear – we shall be forgiven when we forgive. We even repeat it when we say the Lord’s Prayer: ‘and forgive us our debts (trespasses or sins) as we forgive those who are indebted to us (see Matthew 6:12).
When we have been wronged, the natural human desire is to lash out and ensure that vindication occurs. And when it is not feasible to physically punish those who wronged us, it’s possible that we opt to malign them. It may be all true, but we’re not called to help destroy others. We leave vindication and exoneration to God (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19). Of course, that’s easier said than done.
Another challenge we face that sometimes gets in the way of believing and living this promise is ‘forgive and forget’. Some of us even argue that forgiveness is only complete when we effectively forget the wrongs done. I want to extend the idea to the other side of the coin, when we punish others for the wrongs done to us. Could that be the root of the cliché? That forgiveness is effective when we can forget the hurt and not judge others based on that experience.
It seems unwise to live in the past, yet when we continuously hold the wrong as our reason for avoiding life in fullness, even our future is at risk. Because holding a grudge is often about the past and not the present. Please note this does not give anyone carte blanche to be the source of another’s oppression – absolutely not! Rather, it is about our holding to the promise that our forgiveness is put in effect when we are open to the healing power of forgiving. We are able to live outside of bitterness, rage, malice and despair. And, our access to God’s presence is less distorted by ‘stuff’.
So I think that it’s less about God withholding the grace of forgiveness from us; as it is that unforgiveness: malice, resentment, and even diminished reasoning takes our focus away from God. And I just noticed that in a sense, that is idolatry.
God’s promise of forgiveness is an opportunity to replace the pent up feelings with God’s love and grace. It realigns our focus and lightens our hearts and spirits. Of course, forgiveness God’s way isn’t natural; so we invite God’s Spirit right now to transform the broken and hurt places so that we can let go – for our own sakes.
Lord, show us where unforgiveness lurks, and surgically remove the pain, distress and festering emotional impact so we can receive Your mercy and grace fully. Help those who wronged us to see their wrong and repent please Jesus. Amen
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May all we seek be found in Christ
