Daily Thought for Tuesday, April 5th

April 5, 2011

Forgiving

“Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.”

- Mark Twain

Today’s Thought:

“The weak can never forgive.  Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Today’s Question

Did you know that “There is no revenge as complete as forgiveness?” – H. W. Shaw

Today’s Spiritual Thought:

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

– The Bible (Ephesians 4:31-32)

Christianity is deeply rooted in the concepts of grace and forgiveness.

To become a Christian, God must first forgive us: which He can only do if we ask Him too.  And the means by which we are forgiven was fostered by love, which enabled God to send His son, Jesus to die in our place on the cross.  We are guilty but forgiveness is available through the blood of Jesus if we will but believe and receive God’s gift of salvation.

After becoming a Christian forgiveness still plays an important role in our relationship with God.  Becoming a child of God does not ensure that we will never sin again; thus scripture tells us: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” – The Bible (1 John 1:9-10)

However, did you know that God has some conditional requirements to this forgiveness?

I know some of you are shocked.

But, yes He does.  First to repent means to be truly sorry, not just sorry we got caught.  So to be forgiven there must be true remorse and a desire to do better.

And secondly God requires us to be willing to forgive if we desire to be forgiven.

Jesus taught that when we pray we should pray, “…And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors….” – The Bible (Matthew 6:12)

And remember Jesus taught us to “love our brothers as ourselves. “One forgives to the degree that one loves.” – Francois de La Rochefoucauld

We need to be willing to forgive others but often that begins with being willing to forgive ourselves.  “I think if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves.  Otherwise it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.” – C. S. Lewis

Albert Schweitzer was quoted (Readers Digest, October, 1949) as saying; “If I do not forgive everyone, I shall be untrue to myself.”

Remember, “To err is human: to forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope   We need to let more of the divine shine in us each day so that we can be fully forgiven as we are willing to completely forgive.

It may not always be easy, but I don’t imagine the cross was easy for Jesus either.

Sometimes, “When you pray for anyone you tend to modify your personal attitude toward him.” – Norman Vincent Peale  “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” – The Bible (Matthew 5:43-44) and in so doing you will find it easier to give forgiveness which will than make it possible for you to be more easily forgiven.

Today’s Verses:

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.

                        Matthew 6:14-15

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Luke 17:3-4

Today’s Prayer:

Father, forgive me as I forgive and if in so doing I may struggle so remind me of what my forgiveness cost you and then I will surely realize how little it cost me to be forgiving..