PARDON & POISON

PARDON & POISON

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:32 - NKJV

Most of us have heard the expression “forgive and forget”.
As Christians, this is a lesson we are taught in the early days of our walk with the Lord, and even though it’s a very well known and crucial truth of the Word of God, talking about forgiveness is often much easier than living it, especially if you are the one who suffered the pain.

Part of the reason is that human nature craves for revenge, for “justice” and there is even a social expectation that anybody who somehow inflicts suffering to another, should bear the consequences, whatever weight and ramification these consequences may carry.

Yes, we are resentful people by nature.
Nevertheless, someone once said that “feeding resentment and unforgiveness is like a poison that I drink everyday, expecting that someone else will die.”
That is a very intriguing statement, because it is true, even from a biblical standpoint.
The Word of God says that we should forgive one another, and however painful this may sound, it is the true and only way for healing. Resentment and bitterness produce all kinds of roots in our soul that damage our relationship with the Lord and eventually with everyone around us.
The first path to forgiveness is the acknowledgement of our insufficiency to do so, and then asking the Lord to help us to forgive, as we are often forgiven.
A life of forgiveness is a life of true freedom in Christ, and that should always be our goal.

Dear friend, how about we demonstrate acts of kindness and forgiveness towards one another more frequently? How about starting right now? With the Lord’s help, let the sorrow and pain give place to joy and lightness, that can only come with a forgiven heart!

Wishing many blessings to you and your family!

Pastor Joshua