Forgiveness For Your Purpose

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Forgiveness For Your Purpose

And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us [who has offended us or done us wrong]. Luke 11:4a AMP

Forgiving Others

When the Word says, bless and curse not (Romans 12:14), it is not to undermine the fact that someone hurt you without cause. It is not to belittle the pain that you have experienced. It is not to excuse the evil that has been done or its wicked merchant. It is to protect you. For we know not the day or the hour when the wicked may find that place of repentance – to which we have also come; and there be received with a contrite heart (and as such shall be unworthy of the curse of our lips – for which we will reap the Word if we do not repent. And there we will have given power over us that should not be relinquished to the wicked).

God never said, “Do not have an emotion about anything.” Rather we are instructed even in anger to sin not (Ephesians 4:26). Yet and if we stand not still, we release ourselves from inheriting the promise that the Lord will fight our battles. That does not mean do nothing. It means seek God for what to do. His infinite vision is able to see beyond the actions we would take. He knows what the outcome would be, though the mind in an angry cloud sees only the moment of fog.

We certainly have names to call before God for judgment if that were our goal. But we who are also not innocent in every second past, must not be hasty to reward evil lest we also get what we deserve. And that Christ should take our guilt was not what we had earned in this life; but love covers a multitude of fault.

Forgiving Yourself

Forgiveness does not mean that your short-term memory will be erased suddenly. Though each time you show mercy, you will empower your healing from emotional hurt. If you have not lived a perfect life – like many people have not, you may have more difficulty forgiving yourself than you do forgiving others for their offenses to you. If you have trouble forgiving yourself, it may help to review the meaning of salvation.

Christ died for your sins and mine; and for the sins of the entire world. He went to the cross when we were unworthy of His ultimate sacrifice. What we need to understand about salvation is that love is the reason why we have redemption. It is not our worthiness, but the love of God for mankind, that made way for such an act of sacrifice. God loved His creation. He did not want it to be forever removed from His presence; yet, sin could not enter His kingdom. It was the love of Christ that allowed Him to take the weight of sin of the world upon himself; though he was not guilty of any sin.

Though you were not walking the earth when Christ went to the cross, His sacrifice is an everlasting atonement for the sins of the world, including yours, whatever they may be- whether few or many. Christ loved you before you lived. He loves you now.

The Word says that Christ is an advocate with God the Father on our behalf (I John 2:1). He pleads our case. Because of Christ, we may receive mercy. Because of Christ, we do not have to allow eternal guilt to separate us from the love of God. We do not have to allow anything to separate us from His love (Romans 8:39). Because of Christ, we can have peace that passes understanding.

Footnotes

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