A friend called me the other day to announce he is still angry with another friend who failed to apologise to him for the hurt he caused him! I was taken aback at the declaration, as the incident he referred to happened a little over a year ago. This was truly disheartening. I asked him if he was aware if Christ had come within that period, he would not have gone with Him. To him, he felt justified because he was the one that was hurt; and he believed he would have obtained mercy from the Lord! Many wonderful children of God feel this way, especially having gone through a traumatic experience with the one formerly called a brother or sister! The same thing happened to Jesus, Let’s see how He handled it! In Matthew 26:17-25, Jesus told His disciples He would be betrayed. They all asked Him if they would be the one. He told the one that would betray Him: “And Judas, the betrayer, said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself” (Matthew 26:25, AMP). As if that was not all, He told the rest that they would all desert Him. Peter insisted that he would not do so, but Jesus replied: “Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this night, before a rooster crows, you will [completely] deny Me three times” (Matthew 26:34, AMP). At this point, they all pledged their allegiance to Him. But as we know, before the end of the day, He was betrayed, deserted, and denied! One would have thought He would have been so angry with them and never returned to them. But He knew man, and the frailty of man! So He returned to them. If He had stayed angry with them, then the devil had won, and all He had done in the last three and a half years of His life on earth would have been in vain.
Beloved, the same thing happens to us when we refuse to forgive those that had hurt us; and these four things become the price we pay for not forgiving:
Firstly, we get imprisoned in the past, keeping the pain alive. As we remember the incident and pain, it robs us of the joy we ought to feel in the present.
Secondly, it produces bitterness in our hearts. Bitterness is not only a sin, it is an infection that affects every area of the person’s life and spreads to others within his influence, “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many” (Hebrews 12:15, NLT). It makes the person harshly critical, sarcastic, condemning and nasty to others. Painful memories of the hurt make the person’s thoughts malignant (evil) towards others. It distorts the person’s whole view of life!
Thirdly, it gives the devil and his demons an open door into one’s life to operate as he wills, “If you forgive anyone, I do too. For what I have forgiven — if I have forgiven anything — it is for you in the presence of Christ. I have done this so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2Corinthians 2:10-11, HCSB); and “Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the Devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26-27, HCSB). Lastly, it hinders your fellowship with God, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing. But if you don’t forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your wrongdoing” (Mark 11:25-26, HCSB). This is the reason many suddenly find it difficult to pray and enjoy the Presence of God.
Beloved, nothing in this world is worth you losing your love and faith of God for. There are many that would not acknowledge their hurts towards you. That should not bother you. Leave such to the Lord, but you forgive them. Ask the Lord for the grace to do this acceptably by pleading the Blood of Jesus Christ over your heart and mind. This is very important because forgiveness dispels bitterness and replaces it with love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and above all, self-control. May the Lord help you to surmount this as you make your path sure in Him, in Jesus Christ name, Amen. God bless you.
