| “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” |
| —Colossians 3:13b |
The hardest thing we will ever do in this life is to forgive someone who has genuinely harmed us. I’m not talking about small offenses or little hurts. I’m talking about those whopper of attacks that have nearly ruined our lives.
I’ve shared on this blog before that my deepest personal attacks have come at the hands of fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Please, let me illustrate this assertion:
Two men in particular conspired with a sociopathically-behaving pastor, who then turned others against me, in order to deprive me and several others of our jobs at a church. All three of these men are bullies. They acted as despicable troublemakers. They harmed me, but nearly destroyed two of my colleagues, one of whom has only barely recovered financially and otherwise after eleven long years. The most natural thing in the world is to hate these three perpetrators with a white hot hatred.
How can I possibly forgive them? More precisely as a follower of Jesus, how can I not forgive them?
The Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, offered these words of instruction in Colossians 3:13:
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Forgiveness, true forgiveness, is not easy. But, when considering the depths of my own sin for which my Savior bled and died, how can I possibly withhold my forgiveness? And so, I must allow the power of Christ within me to be ready, willing, and able to forgive. I must develop, with God’s enabling, a forgiving heart.
It seems very unlikely that those who harmed me and my colleagues will ever ask for forgiveness. Eleven years have passed and they will likely never confess their sin against us, repent of that sin, make restitution for that sin, and then, seek restoration. Nevertheless, I must stand ready to forgive them.
In your mind and heart, if you are holding an unforgiving spirit today, I urge you to lay that unforgiveness at the foot of the cross. Ask Jesus to enable you to forgive. He will set you free from the chains that bind you and give you a forgiving heart. And, that will lift a huge burden from your soul.
Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2016
