What might have began as a relatively minor offence, if either not repented of or not forgiven, compounds itself with passing years of growing bitterness, in the mind and heart of the offended person; So that what began as a brick grows into a brick wall, in their memory, ... which they can no longer see clearly or comprehend .... as just a brick. It becomes an insurmountable a brick wall. Whereas, in the mind of the offender, if it was repented of but unforgiven, is still a single brick, but it now weighs a ton. The difference in the memories of the two is that one is full of unforgiveness, anger and bitterness, and the other is broken hearted at the loss and full of regret. That single brick has also become insurmountable, but which is the heavier burden, the brick or the brick wall?
If an unforgiving person will not accept a single, sincere request for forgiveness, they will not accept a second, third or a dozen. Their own heart has to change. Thankfully, God only requires one, but some people retain offences as a power lever to be used, as needed, against those who have offended them. They sip their store of unforgiven offences as an obese person would an ice cold lemonade on a hot summer day ... or dig one up as a dog would a bone ... to gnaw on.
When the Apostles asked Jesus how many times they must forgive a person, Jesus said, "until seven times seventy". Matt.18:22. He required sinners to repent but once, for an offence, for complete forgiveness. Ironically, if we ask forgiveness of Him, He, the Creator and universal God of purity and holiness, forgives worms like us of the worst of offences. But human unforgiveness requires much more of their offenders. Human unforgiveness is usually clutched in the hearts of the very people who, if the truth were known, need far more personal repentance, cleansing and forgiveness than those they refuse to forgive. As a pastor, a lot of secret sins and horrible deeds were revealed to me which, most often, were hidden in the hearts of the most unforgiving people. It is a strange paradox which backfires into the health and happiness of the unforgiving. It is self destructive and drags offences along behind the unforgiving like a dead carcass which has been drug to death and is killing the person clinging so desperately to it, as well. It is similar to the Ancient Mariner with a dead, rotting albatross hanging around his neck as he dies, all alone in his misery, of thirst, in the middle of a ocean of undrinkable water. Get rid of your long dead albatross. Before you refuse to forgive someone else, search your own heart for the things you, yourself, need forgiveness for. If sincere, that is a quick and sure cure for unforgiveness. Only forgiveness will set you free.... to also be forgiven. Do not wast another day.
It was Jesus, Himself, who taught us to pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us", and then he added a most important condition to receiving God's forgiveness...
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matt.6:12-15.
If we expect God to forgive us our sins, we must forgive others who sin against us.
One final thing....Forgiveness may be offered but in order to be received, a person must want forgiveness and receive it when offered. If forgiveness is unwanted, it is unreceived. RB
1 comment:
"To err is himan, to forgive is divine."
Thanks Dad for another great reminder.
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