The feel of forgiven (day 5)

Forgiveness.

For many, thats one of the hardest things to do. To go up to a person; no matter what they've done, nor what they've said, or how they've treated you--and say 'I forgive you.'

"Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him." (Luke 17:3). Forgive. Forgive if they ask forgiveness.

Have you ever asked for someone to forgive you, and they said 'no'?

If so, remember how it felt? Remember how bad you felt when you realized you wanted to be forgiven? Remember how bad you felt when they said 'no'?

If thats never happened to you, could you imagine how that would feel? could you imagine how terrible it would be to whole-heartedly say you are sorry and feel bad for doing something? and then the person refuses to listen? The person would reject you. Hate you. Want nothing to do with you. No matter how hard you begged them?

Could you imagine God doing that?

Refusing to forgive you even if you ask Him with all your being? Refusing to pick you up and take you in His arms and embrace you?
Could you imagine?

But God does forgive. His forgiveness is infinite! So long as we are willing to say we are sorry.

Are you ready for this? "And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. " (Luke 17:4). So, not only does God want us to forgive them once, but He tells us to forgive them as much as possibe!

"Help us to forgive just as you have forgiven us"(me) if God forgives us infinitely, shouldnt we at least attpempt to forgive as much as possible?

So now, this begs the question: what would you be willing to forgive?

Would you be willing to forgive someone if they 'accidentally' took something that was yours?
Would you be willing to forgive someone if they made fun of you?
If they hurt you emotionally? Physically? Whether it be an accident or not?
would you forgive them for wanting to hurt you?
How far would you be willing to go? What would you be willing to forgive?

Personally, I have asked myself that question many times; and now I am almost positive that I could forgive a person for anything.

There was a time, fairly recently, where I had the opportunity to forgive someone when others would have turned their backs on the one seeking the forgviness. But I was so overjoyed that the person was asking forgivenes; that I couldnt forgive the person fast enough!
One thing i found out from that, was that--many times, not only does it feel good when you are forgiven; but also when you forgive.

But wait! There's more...a lot more.
" 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother.....? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.' " (Matthew 18:21-22)
So now, not only does God want us to forgive those who "tresspass against us"(6:12) not only once, nor seven(no matter how many that may seem). No, He wants us to forgive seventy times seven times. four hundred ninety times.

four, hundred, ninety, times.
To one person.

And thats still nothing compared to the amount of forgiveness God will give; even within the next minute! Nothing! God only reqires us to forgive a fraction of the amount He does in moments! That fraction would be so small, it wouldnt even be worth attempting to figure out.
And we seem to have trouble forgiving even a fraction of the amount we should. We have trouble forgiving even once!

We as Christians should Love everyone, if you Love someone; shouldnt you forgive them?

Arrogance is bliss? (day 2)

Speak up! But don't be arrogant.

We Christians can't pretend were 'perfect little angels' and everyone else is beneath us. How do we expect to win people to Christ that way? "Not perfect, just forgiven."

"For it is by grace you have been saved--and this is not from yourselves it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8) if we act like the 'ourselves' in that verse, then its not helping anyone. God showed us grace, compassion, love, mercy and forgiveness; so shouldn't we do the same? "Help us to forgive just as you have forgiven us."--me

We have to learn to show them that we know we are not perfect, that without God we are just like them. Live like we're forgiven. If we don't show them that we know there is only one thing (which can grow like fruit [of the spirit] into more) that separates us from them; then that will only turn them from us.

"people [think others] not of [their] religion are bad....If that kind of thinking was encouraged...., it would just cause hatred"--an atheist on another site. If we don't show them we're different, then they will group us 'religion-wise' with the other religions of the world.

And if they do that, then that causes several things to go wrong.

We have to show them we think otherwise than the quote above . But we cant do it to where we're on their level, living the way the rest of the world does. Because that's an un-Christian lifestyle.

The only difference between us and the rest of the world, is that we know the truth, have accepted it, and are forgiven because of it; and they aren't. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)

We need to speak up and show others we know the truth. But not with an arrogant know-it-all attitude. Because we don't.

If we are going to speak boastfully and arrogantly and like we know-it-all, then maybe it were better to remain quiet in the first place.

And we cant be judgmental about others either. Only God is the real judge.

If we speak up and show verbally that we know the truth, then we need to back it up with our actions.
one of the things that the world hates the most now-a-days is a hypocrite. Don't be arrogant, lest you be called a hypocrite. And if a Christian is a hypocrite, that only turns others away from the truth.
"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;" (James 1:22-23)

Don't just speak; show.