Forgiveness

I've been thinking about forgiving and being forgiven lately. I had a friend who went through a really rough time with her husband a while back, he did some horrible stuff and my friend was very hurt. In the midst of that great trial she went through, she posted a facebook status that really spoke to me. She said, "Forgiveness is often more for the person doing the forgiving than the person who is being forgiven". Such wisdom! I chewed and chewed on that, there is a lot to glean from that. You see when we are hurt by others, it's so easy to bottle that hurt up inside and eventually bitterness takes root and bitterness causes all sorts of problems. But when we forgive others for hurting us, it frees us and let's our heart stay in a good state. I have experienced this in my own life. I have hurt people (who hasn't lol) but I am (I hope) a person who is quick to recognise when I've done something wrong and to seek forgiveness. Not always quick to recognise, but I'm getting better. Whether that person forgives me or not, I have felt the freedom of humbling myself and asking for forgiveness. The same goes for when I've been hurt, whether the person who has hurt me has humbled themselves and asked for forgiveness or not, I choose to forgive them so that a root of bitterness does not spring up. Such freedom in humbling yourself and going to your brother and asking forgiveness. Pride is an awful thing, it stops us from humbling ourselves and apologising and seeking forgiveness. In the case of my friend, she chose to forgive even though she was still hurting (and rightfully so). What a sense of freedom she had when she forgave her husband even when he wasn't truly sorry. I was humbled by her honesty and her willingness to forgive.

The way I see it is, I'm a sinner. Before I was saved I hated God, I didn't love Him with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I walked the way I wanted to, I did my own thing, I governed my own life. But because of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, I am forgiven! I have been forgiven much! How can I not forgive others for hurting me when I have been forgiven so much by God? I think unforgiveness is like a cork that stops the flow of things from God to us. Here are a few Scriptures on forgiveness that have really challenged and blessed me.

Matt 6:14-15
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Ouch!

Mark 11:25-26
And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Matt 18:21-22
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus said to him, I say not to you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

My husband is a very forgiving fellow, he is slow to anger (actually I've hardly ever seen him angry), he has unlimited grace for people where as it takes me a while longer to have grace for people. But hubby's forgiving nature is rubbing off on me and I'm starting to forgive quicker. Hubby often says to me when someone does something hurtful "Just have grace babe". I'm learning to have grace for people, but it's a very hard thing to learn lol. I often have to remind myself, that I am not perfect and that I too hurt people so I should have grace as I would want that grace given to me. But I am recognising the importance (for my own heart) of forgiving others. 70x7! Just as the Lord forgives me. Praise you Father for your forgiveness, thank you that you forgive me of all my sins, help me to forgive others. Amen!