““This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ 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 6:9-15 NIV
I have heard the Lord’s Prayer many times in my lifetime, but the part of this verse you don’t typically hear is the last part of it: “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”.
We tend to leave that part off as we robotically recite the prayer. Do we realize that what we are reciting is followed by such a heavy truth?
Do we realize that this verse says: your Father WILL NOT forgive your sins if you do not forgive others?
Just re-read that for a minute…
That’s heavy.
I’m forgiven, the Lord died for my sins right?
Right – but He is a jealous God.
Nahum 1:2 “The Lord is a jealous and avenging God.”
If you place yourself higher than Him, because YOU think of yourself too good to forgive others – He doesn’t tolerate it. Are you playing God in your life?
Forgiveness is selfish really. If you don’t forgive, you aren’t forgiven – it’s clearly stated in the bible.
Are you harboring bitterness and resentment towards someone?
Are you casting judgement instead of letting God?
Are you trying to condemn them, when really God says that He will seek vengeance for us.
God is God. Who are we to withhold forgiveness, if the Lord himself tells us to forgive?
Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.”
The Lord is just –
Ezra 9:15 “O Lord, the God of Israel, you are just.”
We are also commanded to love.
Mark 12:30-31 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Is it honoring to God if we withhold forgiveness from others?
Is it loving God, if we hold a grudge against His own sons and daughters?
Is it loving to forgive?
Are we not called to love?
The first two commandments encourage us to love and to love selflessly. I personally feel like forgiving others is an act of love.
To the man on the motorbike who stole my bag – I forgive you.
To the child screaming in the train station – I forgive you.
To the man who raped me – I forgive you.
To all of the men who have mistreated me – I forgive you.
To all of my friends who have hurt me – I forgive you.
To all the people who have hindered, hurt, and lied to me – I forgive you.
Once you gaze upon the face of the Lord, and KNOW that He will redeem all of the cruelty that happens to you on this earth… It is easy to forgive.
Proverbs 20:22 “Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and He will deliver you.”
I am not going to hold the wedge that separates me from my Creator just because you chose to harm me.
I am letting it go. I am throwing it far from me!
I will quickly turn the other cheek if that means my Lord will embrace me in heaven. This earthy suffering is nothing compared to eternal condemnation.
Luke 23:34 “Father forgive them they know not what they do”
Even on the cross, Jesus pleaded for God to be a God of mercy to the people CRUXIFYING Him.
Now look me into the eyes and tell me that you cannot forgive.
The Holy Spirit resides IN you. You have the same strength Jesus did on that cross. You have the same will that can utter the words “forgive them” and “I forgive you”.
I urge you to forgive. Don’t hinder yourself or your relationship with Christ by holding onto bitterness and resentment.
Colossians 3:12-15 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.”
I know all of this is challenging, but if it was easy would it be as rewarding? I know this is extremely difficult to do in some cases – but forgiveness doesn’t mean you let that person back into your life, or let them do whatever they did to you again.
Forgiveness is giving it to God, telling Him that He will have to avenge you, and letting it go. It is letting go of the “control” you feel like you need to have over that person by not forgiving them.
Truth is, unforgiveness isn’t controlling them – it is controlling you. It is haunting your thoughts, not theirs. It is ruining your day, not theirs. It is causing you anxiety, not them.
Get the picture?
I urge you to forgive, even if it is challenging. It is so freeing! Yes, be smart. Yes, still have boundaries -but please don’t hold onto bitterness and resentment and be controlled by unforgiveness.
Unforgiveness is a wedge between you and your Creator. It is a wedge between you and peace, love, and joy.
Say, “I forgive you – I don’t agree with what you did, but I know God loves me and He will avenge me. So I am placing this in His hands.”
If someone lost your trust, then let them know they have to earn it back. You can forgive and not be taken advantage of. Really, the act of forgiveness is more between you and God than it is between you and the person you are bitter towards anyways… Can you pray for that person you don’t want to forgive?
Matthew 5:43-44 “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
If the answer is no, the wedge is already there between you and God.
The lord says to “love your enemies” He also says to “turn the other cheek”. Can you honestly say you are doing both?
Matthew 5:38-39 “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a
tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
The Lord loves you so much. His heart aches for you, and He feels your pain. He wants to be close to you, comfort you, and to love you.
Why continue to push Him away by being disobedient?
Why hold the wedge of unforgiveness between you and Him?
Who are you really hurting?
