MANDATORY FORGIVENESS
Matt. 6:14-15 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But, if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” NLT
Forgiveness is not an option; it’s a necessity for all who want to have a relationship with God. If we don’t have tender and merciful hearts that are willing to forgive those who wrong us, God will not show us mercy and forgive us. Does that get your attention?
Forgiveness is one of the fruits of godly love. It is natural for those who are living in fellowship with God. An unwillingness to forgive means that there is a sin issue going on it the heart. It is contrary to the nature of God to not forgive.
Forgiveness is not conditional. There is no offense that we can claim is unforgivable. It is not easy to forgive someone who hurts us. Our natural reaction is to withhold forgiveness until the offending party tries to make things right by apologizing for what has been said or done. However, as God’s children, that is not what we should be doing. We should take the matter before the Lord and allow him to help us have a forgiving heart.
Our response is to forgive regardless if it is sought for or not. We are responsible for our reaction, not someone else’s. We must forgive and let the Lord handle the rest. Refusing to forgive is sin. It stops the flow of God’s love in us.
If someone has wronged you and hurt you and you haven’t forgiven them, ask the Lord right now to soften your heart. Don’t let the matter stand between you and the Lord. No matter how hard it may be to do, determine in your heart that with God’s help, you will forgive. Ask the Lord to give you the willpower to forgive. At first, you may only be able to forgive with your mind. But if you persist, the feelings will follow. The status of your soul before God depends on it.
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