as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15
We were at my grandma’s house one year when she was taking down her fall decorations. She had several beautiful pumpkins she had painted many years before that needed to be taken to the attic. My aunt and I were lugging the box up when the unthinkable happened. Yep, we dropped them and they broke. We felt terrible and frankly, so did my grandma. She didn’t yell or get mad, but we knew she was upset. Even though we knew she was disappointed, we also knew that she would forgive us, and she did without hesitation! My aunt and I have brought it back up many times, but not her. When she forgave us, she forgave as God does…as far as the east is from the west.
My oldest was doing an essay for literature when he was amazed to read Matthew 6:14-15. Forgiveness is often taught here, and I’m sure he has heard those verses before, but this time it really hit him. He learned how important it was for you to forgive others. We can’t expect God to do something for us that we aren’t willing to do. It was quite a moment and made me take another look at those verses too.
The character trait for today is Forgiveness-clearing the record of those who have wronged me and not holding a grudge (definition from characterfirst.com).
It’s unbelievable how we can’t move forward when we don’t forgive. It’s not hurting the other person near as much as it’s hurting ourselves. In one of Brooke St. James’s books it talked about how you have to forgive others. She said that unforgiveness is like drinking rat poison and waiting for the rat to die. You’re wishing harm, or at least justice, on the person who wrongs you, but all that’s happening is you’re stuck remembering it. You’re the one drinking the poison.
I remember learning how forgiving someone wasn’t saying what they did was ok. What it was doing was allowing you to be free by handing over the situation to someone much bigger and more capable of dealing with it. God. He can’t deal with things that we’re gripping with both hands. We’re so busy holding onto that unforgiveness that we have no hands to catch His blessings.
I’ll guarantee you we aren’t hurting the one we feel has wronged us. They probably aren’t even thinking about it. We’re hurting ourselves. We’re allowing that person that we were mad at control us. We’re drinking the rat poison! Once it’s gone from our system we can feel our peace and joy come back. We may even restore a relationship.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” I know you’re strong and with God’s help you can forgive anyone. The reward is much too great to miss out on…freedom, blessings, peace, joy…
Today, put into God’s hands what you’ve been holding onto. It opens them for His blessings. One more thing, have you forgiven yourself? That’s part of it. Are you holding onto something that you’re ashamed of? Your hands still aren’t free if you are. God’s like Grandma. He forgives quickly once we repent. Plus, our transgressions are removed as far as the east is from the west. He doesn’t bring them back up like we do. If you haven’t already, forgive yourself so you can move forward.
