Thought for Wednesday, May 15th

May 15, 2013

For Your Own Good

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil (one.) 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

“Maybe you need to forgive them – you know, for your own sake.”

-          Han Nolan

Most, if not all of us, have heard somewhere along the way, in our lives, this idiom, ‘This is for your own good.’

And most of us would probably be able to admit; that at the time we heard this; we did not believe it for one minute.  However, as time passed by and we grew and matured somewhat: we could probably look back on some of those times and see that indeed the experience we encountered and the situation we endured; did prove to be for our good in the long run.

This is how forgiveness works.  Sometimes it is not so much for the person whom you are forgiving; because quite frankly, sometimes they could care less; but it is about you and it is for your own good.

Carrying around the burdens of offenses and misdeeds only leads to resentment, anger and bitterness within and it also impedes the relationship and forgiveness we can receive from our Heavenly Father.

I can’t think of anything, anyone has ever done to me or against me that is worth allowing it to interfere with my relationship with God.

Yet, we all know that it is much easier to say that we forgive than it is to truly forgive and let something go.

However, if we truly want God’s joy, His peace and His total and complete forgiveness then we need to be willing to forgive.   For, in fact, not forgiving is in and of itself a sin, which by its nature serves to separate us to some degree from God.

So for your own good, let go of those things which others have done to offend you; forgive those who have hurt you; (you don’t have to continue to place yourself in the situation that will allow them to continue hurting your; but you do need to turn it loose and give it over to God by forgiving them and moving on).

And once you have forgiven don’t look back: don’t reclaim the offense to deal with and don’t let anything that might happen in the future stand in the way of you having the best possible relationship you can have with your Heavenly Father; after all – it is for your own good.

Prayer:

Father, may I be as willing to forgive as I am in need of Your willingness to forgive me.