02/10
Where Forgiveness Starts
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Colossians 3:13
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:31-32
If all of the biblical passages that dealt with forgiveness were lined up and studied, we’d find a few things that most of these verses have in common. The first thing we would see, for the most part, the Bible is very pro-forgiveness. Each verse that touches on the topic of forgiveness shows the act of forgiving as something good, righteous and holy. There are no verses in the Bible which instruct or advise a person to withhold forgiveness or to use unforgiveness as a form of vindication, retribution or judgment against a person who has wronged them. Even the idea of holding onto a grudge or holding bitterness in your heart towards another is often listed alongside other negative descriptors such as rage, anger, slander and malice.
The beginning of forgiveness in our own heart starts with realizing that forgiveness is from God and that's a good idea! This mindset is where we should start; a logical approach to forgiveness can help us to see it more clearly, accurately and from the perspective of God Himself. Starting with this view of forgiveness can help our hearts and minds to change over time and be realigned with God. If we have any inkling within us that says, forgiveness is the wrong road to take, or that holding onto unforgiveness is the right thing to do, we should ask God to realign our hearts with His and bring us a greater ability, through the Holy Spirit, to forgive those who have wronged us.
The second thing we glean from studying the verses regarding forgiveness is that we are called to forgive, not just for its own sake, but because we have been forgiven. God has forgiven you, and because of that, we have the perfect example of what we can do! This is an exciting idea that your Father in Heaven has set the perfect example for you and has also given you strength through the Holy Spirit to live out what He has called you to do.
Colossians 3:13
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:31-32
If all of the biblical passages that dealt with forgiveness were lined up and studied, we’d find a few things that most of these verses have in common. The first thing we would see, for the most part, the Bible is very pro-forgiveness. Each verse that touches on the topic of forgiveness shows the act of forgiving as something good, righteous and holy. There are no verses in the Bible which instruct or advise a person to withhold forgiveness or to use unforgiveness as a form of vindication, retribution or judgment against a person who has wronged them. Even the idea of holding onto a grudge or holding bitterness in your heart towards another is often listed alongside other negative descriptors such as rage, anger, slander and malice.
The beginning of forgiveness in our own heart starts with realizing that forgiveness is from God and that's a good idea! This mindset is where we should start; a logical approach to forgiveness can help us to see it more clearly, accurately and from the perspective of God Himself. Starting with this view of forgiveness can help our hearts and minds to change over time and be realigned with God. If we have any inkling within us that says, forgiveness is the wrong road to take, or that holding onto unforgiveness is the right thing to do, we should ask God to realign our hearts with His and bring us a greater ability, through the Holy Spirit, to forgive those who have wronged us.
The second thing we glean from studying the verses regarding forgiveness is that we are called to forgive, not just for its own sake, but because we have been forgiven. God has forgiven you, and because of that, we have the perfect example of what we can do! This is an exciting idea that your Father in Heaven has set the perfect example for you and has also given you strength through the Holy Spirit to live out what He has called you to do.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- How does reflection on how God has forgiven us bring perspective to our own need to forgive?
- How has God forgiven you? How does that forgiveness free you up to forgive others?