Forgiveness

One of the most amazing things in the universe is the Grace of God.  It's something that we as humans can't quite comprehend - how the LORD could send his only Son down to this earth to die a cruel and horrible death - all so that we could be forgiven of our sins.  And because of that death, our sins can be washed away.  

So when we think about what God did for everyone on this earth - sending His Son down - and when we know that because of Him we have this amazing blessing of forgiveness of sins - why is it so hard for us to forgive others?  Personally, I can think of several times in my life when I've held a grudge against somebody or a time where I've not been able to forget a wrong-doing someone did against me.   Isn't that awful?  To think that God will forgive ANY sin that we ask of him (or anyone asks of him)  and here I am having trouble giving up a grudge against somebody...  That's definitely not Christ-like.  

Christ teaches us to love everybody.  He also teaches us that in order for US to have forgiveness, we must first forgive those who have sinned against us.  

In Luke 17:3-4,  Jesus says, "Pay attention to yourselves!  If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in a day, and turns to you seven times saying, I repent, you must forgive him."  

I don't know about you, but this is definitely an area that I struggle with.  I've been in situations before with people who have done something to me and later apologized for it - and it was hard to forgive them the first time!!  - Now if they had keep doing that wrong and kept coming back to ask for forgiveness from me, I imagine it would only get harder and harder to forgive them.

I know it's sometimes difficult to forgive somebody when they sin (especially if it affects you),  but as we try to seek God and do His will, this is an area where we have to be like Christ in.

Think about Christ in His worst condition - on the Cross.  Here he is in a horrible horrible bloody condition, and he still asks His Father to forgive those who were killing and mocking Him.  He definitely was displaying his love for his enemies.  

We can learn A LOT from Jesus Christ - and forgiveness is one of those things.  Let us remember that in order for us to be forgiven of our OWN sins, we must first forgive others when they sin against us.