Following God's Way to Forgiveness

by LAUREN DUNGY

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13 (NLT)

When I was 10 years old, I did something unkind to my brother, Averell. It was a hot summer day, and he’d claimed the last Coke in the refrigerator. I asked him to share it with me, but he refused. When he was distracted by a knock at the door, I decided to help myself to a few sips. He immediately noticed and was upset. I knew it was wrong, so I apologized and expected him to say, “That’s OK. It’s not a big deal.”

But to my surprise, he was very distraught, and it took him a long time to get over it. It seems silly now, but for the longest time, all I wanted was for him to forget about my actions and forgive me.

Looking back, I shouldn’t have been critical of him being upset, because I often find myself doing the same thing. Someone will do something that hurts my feelings, and it takes me a long time to get over it. Sometimes the person doesn’t even realize they’ve offended me. But I can hold on to the hurt and let it hinder a relationship with someone I love.

The Bible says we can’t let that happen. Life is all about relationships, and because we humans are not perfect, even people who love us are going to hurt us.

The question is, “How will we respond when we get hurt?”

Colossians 3:13a says, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.” The first thing to do is understand that even the godliest people we know aren’t perfect. They do things we might not think are right. If and when that happens, we’re to be gracious and loving and explain to that person why we’re offended.

The verse then says to forgive anyone who offends us. That’s very straightforward, and most of us who read this passage would understand that it’s not just good advice; it’s a command. God expects us to forgive each other.

Knowing we should forgive someone doesn’t make it any easier, especially when it’s something that really stings. My usual response is, “I can forgive a lot of things, but I can’t forgive that!”

The second half of Colossians 3:13 has the perfect answer: “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” God has forgiven us, and not just for the small, insignificant things — He forgave us everything. Jesus died on the cross to forgive every offense you and I have ever committed against God or our fellow humans. If we’ve accepted Jesus as our Savior, God has already forgiven us, without hesitation or exceptions.

Whatever we’ve done and whatever our motivation was, He forgives us. And He expects us to do the same.

In Matthew 18, Peter asked the Lord how many times he should forgive someone who sinned against him. Should he be willing to forgive someone seven times? Jesus answered, “Seventy times seven times” (v. 22, DRA).

Jesus then told a parable about a servant who borrowed millions of dollars from the king and couldn’t pay it back. The king forgave him and cancelled his debt, but then the servant wouldn’t forgive one of his coworkers who owed him a few thousand dollars. When the king heard what happened, he was incensed and had the servant brought in and punished for not having the same mercy in his heart that the king had demonstrated.

Jesus showed Peter that no matter how large the offense is or how often someone hurts us, God expects us to forgive.

I don’t know about you, but it’s just not in my human nature to do that. I need the Holy Spirit to take over my life to help me to forgive like Jesus. And when I do, I see the benefits: Not only do I experience God’s forgiveness more fully, but also I enjoy relationships without being hindered by the hard feelings that come from holding a grudge.

That’s why God wants us to forgive others — not just for their benefit, but for ours as well.

Heavenly Father, thank You for forgiving me and bringing me back into relationship with You. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross to show us the true meaning of forgiveness. Help me to show that same forgiveness to others, so they can see You living in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Matthew 6:14-15, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (NLT)

Today's Devotional Sponsor:

Two Great Snares

by John McKay, Pastor

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25 KJV
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 12:42-43 KJV
John Knox had every reason to fear men (or the women who were the Romanist Queens of Scotland). Indeed he was arrested for treason. The great Scottish reformer preached the doctrines of salvation by grace through faith in the merit of Christ's blood shed at Calvary. He denounced the mass, as idolatry. Did he fear the human powers that had killed previous reformers? He may have had some hidden fears of men, but he did not let that stop him from the work that needed to be done. As one has written of him and the reformation in Scotland, "It was the victory of the people under the leadership of a brave and true man, against the combined forces of a queen, a court, and a powerful nobility."
Surely it was not for the praise of men that he suffered slavery, exile, torment, threats, arrest, and stress. We prefer to believe that John Knox suffered for the Lord Jesus Christ. We are convinced that he did not fall into the snares mentioned in our texts.
"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe." We should know God so well that we will not fear men. Sometimes being afraid of what men think, or will say, will deter us from saying or doing what we ought to say or do.

" ... among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him (the Lord Jesus), lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." Don't let the fear of men or the love of their praise keep you from the will of God!

DAILY SMILE:

The Set Of Drums

Musician Jokes

Submitted by D-Gellybean

A little boy thanked his grandfather for the set of drums he bought him for his birthday. “They’re the best present I’ve ever had,” he said. “They’ve already earned me $80.”

“Wow!”’ said the grandfather. “You must have learned to play them real good!”

“Not really,” said the boy. “But Mom gives me $5 not to play them during the day, and Dad gives me $5 not to play them in the evening.”

Cajun Chicken Pasta

from http://susanrecipe.com/2016/08/cajun-chicken-pasta.html

Ingredients

4 ounces linguine pasta
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green onion, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes).
Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.
Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through.
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.