grampa:
As you are aware, we have two choices, His way, or the other way. His way is the right way, the only way. There is no room for bitterness of unbelief. The people closest to me, lean on Him, for direction. I want to encourage people to give all questions to Him. He can handle it. He is the key. Just felt it was important to say that! Westi
“God has a big eraser.”
Billy Zeoli
Billy Zeoli
Forgiving Hurts We Don’t Deserve
Ephesians 4:31-32
Who has hurt you this week? Was the offender sorry, or did it seem to be intentional? How are we supposed to respond to those who attack us on all fronts? Most likely, we will rise up and proclaim, “It is not fair! I am innocent, and yet you hurt me deeply!” We may foolishly expect to be treated well by another, just because we have treated him well. We are like a character in C. S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce, who proclaimed, “I only want my rights. I’m not asking for anybody’s [charity].”
How crazy it is to seek out what we deserve! How easily we forget how hurtful, malicious, and rebellious we ourselves have been. Remember Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We have all hurt the Lord far worse than any individual has ever hurt us personally. What do we deserve? Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death.” Far more serious than any interpersonal dispute, our rebellion against the Lord deserves only death. But, we serve a merciful God: “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Today’s key passage ends with the command to forgive others “just as in Christ God forgave you.”
You have been forgiven already. Now, go out and share the wealth, spreading that forgiveness to others.
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