One of the biggest blessings that we Christians will ever receive is the gift of forgiveness. In receiving the forgiveness of our sins, we find salvation, freedom, life, and joy. We can hear these blessings as David writes in Psalm 32:5, “I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” To receive forgiveness is a wonderful blessing!
Yet, we live in a culture that revels in unforgiveness. We are encouraged to cut off and cancel “toxic people” and never look back. We are told to bury the pain of being hurt, rejected, blamed, betrayed or insulted. We are also influenced to relish the “higher ground” of being a victim. And as such, we are left to waste away in bitterness.
But if left unchecked, our bitterness destroys our relationships. A friendship dissolves. A marriage ends. A family breaks apart. We no longer attend church or we move on to attending a different church.
So, it is important for us to notice that in the middle of the word “forgiveness” is the word “give.” Which reminds us that forgiveness is not just for us to receive, it is for us to give too. Ephesians 4:32 point this out as it says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Yet, the strength required to forgive is often beyond us. The pain of the wrong done to us makes us weak. And the vulnerability of it all becomes too much to overcome.
So, what do we do? Where do we turn? We turn to Jesus. And as we turn to Jesus, we see how much He forgives us…completely…repeatedly…unconditionally. And as we turn to Jesus and see how much He forgives us…completely…repeatedly… unconditionally, it gives us ability to forgive. It gives us power in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10). It gives us perspective to see how much He forgives us compared to the little He calls us to forgive others (Matthew 18:21-35). Long and short, Jesus gives us the gift of forgiveness than enables us to share it.
In summary, the more we realize how much Jesus forgives us, the more we are enabled and empowered to forgive others. And as such, may our lives give witness and glory to the One who died to forgive all.
Pastor Tuma