Forgiveness

When I woke up this morning I laid there thinking what I could write about today...Nothing immediately came to mind so I prayed about it. When I was doing my quiet time I was reading this passage by John Stonestreet. My bible is the Apologetics study bible for students and I absolutely love it because it has these little passages that contain questions that young Christians like myself tend to ponder on. This passage was called "Do I need to forgive people who decline forgiveness?" Well like many people I'm sure, I have a hard time with forgiveness. I tend to cling to something to try and justify my actions or my feelings towards someone. You know what I'm talking about, we all have those friends or even ourselves sometimes think "I just don't like her because blah blah blah" Well I'm telling you right now that petty little things like that are pointless and are pulling you away from a closer relationship with God. Now your thinking, well my grudges aren't petty like that they are actually meaningful like dads who abandoned their family or strangers who steal innocence. Well I have experience first hand some tough grudges and what it's like to feel bitter and hatred towards a person. But in the end it is in our best interest to forgive. "Why?" you ask, "I was hurt." Well we should forgive because we are forgiven. Over and over again when we ask for forgiveness God freely gives it. He doesn't ask questions, He is not judgmental, He is understanding and patient. We should also learn to have a patient and understanding attitude. Well some people say they aren't good at "forgiving and forgetting" Well forgiving doesn't mean forgetting. But it also doesn't give us permission to throw that back up in that person's face when they do wrong. It has been forgiven so there is no need in it. I was once angry at someone for a long time. I was so bitter and angry towards the person because I wanted things to be different and I wanted things to go back like they were before, even though I knew that wasn't a possibility I always clung to that little inkling of hope. Until, I read this quote "Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past can be changed." I then began to accept the fact that what had happened, happened and it couldn't be changed. I pray everyday that God would help me forgive the people that hurt me. It was hard at first but after letting that person now I had forgiven them I felt a sense of peace. That didn't mean I agreed with his actions. "I hated the sin, but loved the sinner." So remember next time someone hurts you, "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry" James 1:19  Forgive. Because you were forgiven.