Faith Filled Family Magazine December 2016 | Page 12

beloved, but leave room for
the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I
WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.
“BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS
THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK;
FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL
HEAP BURNING COALS ON
HIS HEAD.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good.” (NASB)
Do you know anyone who struggles with forgiveness? A person who just refuses to forgive?
Have you ever talked to them
about it? What do you say? One
thing you may notice about these
people who refuse to forgive is
they too find themselves hurt
as well. Sometimes it a physical sickness that ails them, other
times it can be an emotional illness. The people begin to resent
those they have not forgiven and
this tends to carry over into other
parts of their life. They become
resentful and adverse and find
themselves on a mission to punish others, and not just those
who they feel hurt them.
Book of Matthew, Chapter 6,
Verse 12 states ~and forgive us
our sins, as we have forgiven
those who sin against us. (NLT)
One of the best ways to discuss forgiveness with someone
is with the discussion of grace.
God’s grace can transform your
life with forgiveness as we must
remember that every lost person
matters to God. Paul endured
persecution and pain in order to
share the word of Christ. Jesus
endured the pain and shame
of the cross in order to redeem
you. This redemption was God’s

grace, and this is how we show
grace to someone else. We must
first realize a few things about
grace. We must remember grace
is not always easy.
Book of Ephesians, Chapter 2:15 states, “As for you, you were
dead in your transgressions and
sins, in which you used to live
when you followed the ways of
this world and of the ruler of the
kingdom of the air, the spirit who
is now at work in those who are
disobedient. All of us also lived
among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh
and following its desires and
thoughts. Like the rest, we were
by nature deserving of wrath.
But because of his great love for
us, God, who is rich in mercy,
made us alive with Christ even
when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you
have been saved.” (NIV)

than explaining to do.
Book of Colossians 3:13 states,
“Put up with each other, and
forgive anyone who does you
wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.” (CEV)

We have all been in these situations and we have all found ourselves looking into eyes overflowing with tears. How do we truly
ask for forgiveness? You have
it on the tip of your tongue, you
just ask. Forgiveness is a very
real thing and when that emotion
of love replaces those feelings of
pain, bitterness, or even worse,
hate? That is when true forgiveness has been restored. There
are many things people seek
forgiveness for. Our friends may
ask for forgiveness an act of revenge. A stranger may ask for
forgiveness for a crime against
you. A parent may be asked to
forgive someone who murdered
For some of us, showing grace their child. A spouse may ask for
may seem like it comes easi- forgiveness for adultery. One
er, especially when we forgive thing is for certain about forgivesomeone for telling a half-truth ness, and that is very rarely is
about us, or maybe for favoring it ever just on the surface. And
a story when we are the joke. rarely is it a one-time offering or
Would a true friend do this? a one-time acceptance. ConsidWould you? I would like to say, er some of the examples above?
I would never laugh at a friend’s Could you forgive all of these or
misfortune, but what if the laugh one of these? If so, would you do
was truly in good nature, and not it once, or would this be someat all meaning harm? Would I thing you would have to forgive
say I would not laugh? Of course every day? When pain brews annot! We all I find ourselves in ger and resentment, it could take
situations when begging for for- time, a lot of time for forgiveness
giveness for something we hon- to meet acceptance. God’s forestly meant only in goodness of giveness is unconditional, but for
heart is necessary. However, a us? It’s not just that easy. Readfriend may not see it as so. That ing a passage in a book from one
friend may see us taking advan- of my favorite Christian authors,
tage of a situation where his or Max Lucado’s, Let the Journey
her defenses were down, and Begin, states, “Unfaithfulness is
we may have more apologizing, wrong. Revenge is bad. But the