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| Image from a South African Magazine (As soon as it, the name will be published) |
"and forgive our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us" (The Lord's Prayer, Mathew 6:12)
Few month ago, i was reading a Magazine and suddenly found this article about forgiveness. I will not try to lie to you, i didn't read it... Why are you talking about it then ?you will certainly ask. Well, first of all the main reason why i did not read the article is because, deep inside me, I knew that I was a person who does not easily forgive. The worst thing in all that is that I was even proud to say "Oh you know, i don't easily forgive people huh ! If you mess up once don't even expect a second chance with me !". The second reason is that I did not want this part of me to change. But, in his mercy and unconditional love, God have recently grant me the grace to understand how forgiveness can change our lives and naturally, I couldn't keep this understanding for myself, i had to share it.
In today's life, there is a lot of Biblical principles that are hard to follow. The "forgiving" part is one of them. In the Scriptures, i have found a lot of verse where God is encouraging us to forgive one other's mistakes and behavior. In one of them, it is even about forgiving 70*7 times ! Or something like that.
Okay, we are human, and on top of that we are young people. Therefore, forgiving 490 times (or even 3 times, sometimes) is not one of the first option that we will think about when faced to issues like treason, disloyalty, deceptions, and so one.
But GOD HIMSELF wants us to forgive ! Why ?
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| image from "http://www.heavenlytreasure.net/" |
1. Forgiveness open doors + A place in the Kingdom of Heaven (BONUS !)
2. Forgiveness is good for your health
3. Everybody make mistakes
In the Lord's Prayer, it is clearly written that we are asking God to forgive us, as we forgive others. The forgiveness of God open doors, it cleans us, make us free from any guilt and any condemnation. And one of the condition to access the blessing that God have prepared for us is to release people that we kept in our heart after a deception. Nobody said that it's an easy process but it is worth it. And it's either you release your heart from that anger and allow yourself to feel free and to receive what God had planed for you or you just let the anger consume you.
This lead us in our second point : Forgive people, you will live much longer and look more younger. When you keep anger in your heart and you don't allow yourself to forgive and forget, it doesn't only close the door of success and blessing, It consumes you from the inside out. In such situation, the one who is suffering the most is not the person who commited the fault, but the one who can't see forgiveness as an option. And THAT is something that you can't allow yourself to do. Don't stress yourself, forgive and forget.
And to conclude, i just want to remind all of us, and even myself that we are just human beings. Everyday we commit mistakes and hurt people. It can happen to anybody. And in such situation, all we need is compassion and understanding from others. So why shouldn't we, as human and Christians, just do for our neighbor what we would like him to do for us ?
+++An action for today : Rather than judging people who hurts you and immediately categorize them as #PublicEnnemyN°1, please, allow yourself to be patient and comprehensible. Ask God for strength to forgive and to understand what leads the person to behave in such manner. Ask for wisdom, ask for love and ask God to touch the person, in order for him not to commit the same mistake.
And, I believe THAT is exactly how The Lord wants us to behave with one another ; forgive and forget.
Question of the Day : What's makes people not willing to forgive easily ? What is, for you, the hardest thing to forgive ?
