Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
We begin this month of forgiveness with a look at our own role in forgiving others and the direct correlation it has with us receiving forgiveness from God. Whether we realize it or not, there is a direct connection of one with the other. Today we will dive into that and lay a foundation that we can build upon this month as we explore forgiveness.
It is important to note that forgiveness in no way determines our salvation (Titus 3:5). That comes from Jesus alone. But we WILL face judgment one day, and we don’t want to be standing before God and hear Him say we are not forgiven because we refused to forgive others. Jesus even begged for our forgiveness by the Father from the cross – forgive them for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).
Why do we cling to the injustices we feel we have been dealt? Why do we hold onto the sins done against us? Shouldn’t we be better than that by now? We are told to forgive, to be reconciled with our brothers, and most of all to love them. So why do we simmer in anger over disputes with others?
If we are being imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1), we would forgive and seek reconciliation immediately because we know that is what He would do. It is what He did, time and time again. Jesus modeled it for us. We have no reason to ignore the instructions we have received to forgive. A parent punishes their child for disobedience, but they still love them, still accept them, and still want what is best for them.
If you have disputes in your life that have been unresolved, go today and seek reconciliation. If you have sinned against another, go to them immediately and ask for forgiveness. Don’t wait until tomorrow or next time you see them. Reach out, set a time to meet (with urgency), and talk. It is important not only for the future judgment we face, but for your spiritual walk here. We need Christians around us, we were made for fellowship and community. Forgiveness is needed to achieve this. Don’t wait. Do it today.
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