To Forgive Is Crucial

Who can emphasize enough the power of forgiveness? It brings inner healing and physical healing too. Take a look and see what Jesus Christ, the Son of God has to say about it.
Enlarge ImageLack of forgiveness can block our access to the kingdom of God and the power of miracles: "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift " (Matthew 5:23, 24).

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive yours sins. "(Matthew 6:14, 15).

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked: Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered: "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt " (Matthew 18:21-25).

"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" (Mark 11:25).

The very first person you have to forgive is yourself. Most people fail to forgive themselves, not only others. People tend to reject what God has to say about forgiveness of sins: "as far as the east is from the west, so far he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12).

We can simply decide to forgive ourselves, and then do it. "Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God" (1John 3:21).

We most obviously cannot keep sinning, and then expect forgiveness. We have to be continuously released from the awareness of sins and rebellion against God. But if we walk in the light of forgiveness, the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all sins. (1John 1:7).

The second person we have to forgive and free from our harm feelings is God. There are people who accuse God because of a child’s death, because a husband has left his family, for being sick, for not having enough money. They either consciously or unconsciously believe these to be God’s fault. There is a very deep grudge towards God. But we cannot bear grudge on God, and expect miracles from Him at the same time. So in every circumstance we have to ask ourselves if we blame God for the bad things that are happening to us at that particular point.

Thirdly, another person to be forgiven is very likely to belong to your own family. Family members tend to have hard feelings towards one another, although they claimed they had already forgiven each other. But we must get rid of these hard feelings and move on. Although this might seem of little significance, yet it may bother us a lot, and we have to set ourselves free from these negative attitudes.

Finally, we have to forgive everyone who has ever done us wrong. Although the hard feelings may have a strong justification, maybe that person has done you a lot of wrong, a terrible thing. You may have all the moral, legal and intellectual rights to bear grudge on that person. But if you want to experience miracles in your life, to see God at work, you have to forgive that person. You have to be determined, and keep forgiving that person until you feel free and cleansed of any resentment whatsoever, and even pray for that person. The law of forgiveness is very simple: forgive, and you’ll be forgiven. If we don’t forgive one another, God will not forgive us either.

When asked, most of us will agree we love the idea of experiencing miracles in our lives. But sometimes everything seems dim, doomed and far away, we feel lonely and depressed, for we lack the power to forgive. It’s really a matter of decision, though. And each miracle depends entirely on our relationship with God.

Oh Lord, help us forgive as You forgave us!
By Claudia Miclaus