I was having a conversation with a friend, who was having trouble forgiving someone. They knew that they needed to, but just couldn’t find it within themselves to do it. We talked for a while and as the conversation progressed, we changed subjects a few times. He later on the conversation brings up something that was bothering him. Two of his close family members were angry with each other and because of this getting people together for any type of event was nearly impossible. One or both of them would not show up for the event. He then said, “I wish they’d just forgive each other.” To which I replied, “You mean like you need to forgive these others?” He said in realization, “Yeah.” I then told him that his friends were drowning in the same unforgiveness that he was in. He needed to learn how to swim out of this in order to reach out a hand to help pull them out. The only way to do this is to link hands with Jesus. Jesus can teach you to forgive. As He said in Matthew 11:29 Learn of/from me.
Just as Jesus reached out and grabbed Peter’s hand and kept him from drowning, he can reach out and grab your hand too.
Matthew 6:14-15 ISV 14 Because if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive people their offenses, your Father will not forgive your offenses.”
There is a wonderful promise here and a stark warning as well. A wonderful promise of forgiveness when we forgive others. The warning that if we don’t forgive then we can’t receive forgiveness. If we refuse to forgive someone then we lock the very door that we must go through.
Matthew 18:24-35 ISV
24 When he had begun to settle the accounts, a person who owed him 10,000 talents was brought to him.
25 Because he couldn’t pay, his master ordered him, his wife, his children, and everything that he owned to be sold so that payment could be made. 26 Then the servant fell down and bowed low before him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything!’
27 The master of that servant had compassion and released him, canceling his debt.
28 “But when that servant went away, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, seized him by the throat, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’
29 Then his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you!’
30 But he refused and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt.
31 “When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very disturbed and went and reported to their master everything that had occurred.
32 Then his master sent for him and told him, ‘You evil servant! I canceled that entire debt for you because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’
34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers until he could repay the entire debt.
35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your hearts.”
The evil servant here had received a magnificent blessing of being forgiven a debt that he could not pay. When he had the opportunity to forgive someone else he refused. What happened next? His debt was reinstated. He became responsible for his debt again.
Colossians 2:14 NET
14 He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.
Jesus paid our debt that we owed. If we refuse to forgive then we are then responsible for our debt of sin.
We should not have room for unforgiveness in our lives. Jesus has forgiven us too much for us to harbor unforgiveness towards anyone. Set yourself free. Yes yourself. The chains of unforgiveness are not holding the perpetrator, but you. You are effectively making yourself a prisoner of your own unforgiveness.
Luke 6:36-38 KJV
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
We all like to use verse 38 in reference to money. I’m not saying that it doesn’t mean that or that principle doesn’t apply. But what was Jesus talking about. Look what happens if you just take out the verse break and read it as a sentence. He literally said forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
If you give mercy and forgiveness, then you will receive the same in abundance. Give forgiveness as freely as you have received it. Leave no room for unforgiveness in your life.
Colossians 3:13 ISV Be tolerant of one another and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, you also should forgive.
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