Today’s Encouragement is Colossians 3:13 NLT Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
The Lord Forgave You –
Living with people, friendship, marriage, co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances… always, always, always… results in someone becoming offended! At one point or another… it happens.
There’s only one solution!
It’s not – run away from everyone who offends you… that only leads to isolation.
It’s not – demand an apology, we have no position to demand anything from anyone… we are not royalty! We cannot manipulate, control, demand, insist on any type of behavior from others… we don’t even control ourselves very well!
The only solution to the hurt caused by others, from any type of relationship, is…Forgiveness! And Forgiveness is our choice. We may not feel like it, may not even want to… but we can still choose to forgive!
And this is the perfect solution my friend, because it is 1) yours alone, independent of the other person, 2) in your heart and your mind, not dependent on any external circumstances, and most importantly, it is 3) God’s way of healing and freeing us from the pain of human relationships. And 4) Forgiveness sets you free from the hurt caused by others!
Father, that you could forgive me, for all the sin, the wrong, the selfishness, the ugliness, the destruction, the harm that I’ve done to others… is truly beyond understanding. Yet I choose to believe You! To Trust You! To accept Your Forgiveness! Now Father, help me to forgive others, no matter how petty nor terrible their offenses. So that I am free of the harm of the offense.
They don’t deserve forgiveness,
but …
neither do we.
Forgiveness
Matthew West
Today’s Encouragement 