Forgiveness ... it's a tough one!

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving

each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:30-32

I heard not one, but two sermons today on forgiveness. Ok Lord, I hear you! Forgiveness ... it's a tough one!

In one of the sermons, a heart-wrenching story was told about a person that got behind the wheel after drinking heavily. He lost control of his vehicle and hit another car, instantly killing driver. The deeply grieved family insisted, as part of his punishment, that he address and mail an envelope with a dollar bill in it to them each week for five years to serve as a reminder for taking their loved one's life. However, this punishment was ultimately even more painful to the family who received a weekly reminder of the grief and sorrow of the loss of their loved one.

The lesson here is: unforgiveness hurts us more than it hurts the one who offended us. Sadly, when we harbor unforgiveness in our heart we are out of fellowship with our Lord Jesus. We are commanded to take the sins of others and, according to the literal Greek of the word, forgive, which is aphiemi, to send forth, or send away.

Colossians 3:13 says, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

The person who sees the greatness of his own forgiveness by God's love, will himself, in love, be forgiving. He forgives in love because his heavenly Father has forgiven in love and he desires to be an imitator of His Father. -David Curtis

Lord Herbert said, "He who cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass."

A saint of long ago said, "Revenge, indeed, seems often sweet to men; but, oh, it is only sugared poison, only sweetened gall, and its aftertaste is bitter as hell. Forgiving, enduring love alone, is sweet and blissful: it enjoys peace and the consciousness of God's favor."

Colossians 3:13 says bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

"You will know that forgiveness has begun when you recall those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well." -Lewis B. Smedes