On Forgiveness
We all find forgiveness exceedingly difficult. Sometimes forgiveness comes so hard that we can release our grudges only one level at a time. This means forgiveness is often granted only at superficial levels. These are qualified forgiveness. A key words is if. "I'll forgive you, if you show proper remorse. . ."
Another key word is when. "I'll forgive you when I am able. You've got to give me some time to work through this. . . "
A second level is partial forgiveness. The key word here is but. "I'll forgive you, but. . . please get out of my life. . . "
You must do forgiveness. We do our way into better feelings. We do not feel our way into better doing. If we wait until all that bitterness is swept out of the corners of our feelings before we do right by someone who has hurt us, we might just as well give up. The bad feelings may never completely go away. But if we begin now dealing with that person, as if he had been totally forgiven and as if all the bad feelings were gone, giving him full personhood and affirmation, somehow the bitterness eventually dissipates. Jesus didn't just tell us how to forgive, he showed us how on the cross. ..
-From The Shepherd's Song by Dr. Lyn Anderson; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. -Psalm 103:3-4
In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us. . . - Ephesians 1:7-8a
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. -1 John 1:9
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. . .For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. -Matthew 6:12, 14-15
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." -Mark 11:25
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother and or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." -Matthew 18:21-22
"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 bags of gold was brought by 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. At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how your heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart." -Matthew 18:23-35
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. -Colossians 3:13
Another key word is when. "I'll forgive you when I am able. You've got to give me some time to work through this. . . "
A second level is partial forgiveness. The key word here is but. "I'll forgive you, but. . . please get out of my life. . . "
You must do forgiveness. We do our way into better feelings. We do not feel our way into better doing. If we wait until all that bitterness is swept out of the corners of our feelings before we do right by someone who has hurt us, we might just as well give up. The bad feelings may never completely go away. But if we begin now dealing with that person, as if he had been totally forgiven and as if all the bad feelings were gone, giving him full personhood and affirmation, somehow the bitterness eventually dissipates. Jesus didn't just tell us how to forgive, he showed us how on the cross. ..
-From The Shepherd's Song by Dr. Lyn Anderson; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. -Psalm 103:3-4
In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us. . . - Ephesians 1:7-8a
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. -1 John 1:9
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. . .For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. -Matthew 6:12, 14-15
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." -Mark 11:25
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother and or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." -Matthew 18:21-22
"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 bags of gold was brought by 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. At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how your heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart." -Matthew 18:23-35
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. -Colossians 3:13
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