What are your thoughts on forgiveness? Do you seek forgiveness? Do you ask God to forgive you regularly? Do you ask others to forgive you when you have offended them? Are you willing to forgive others when they offend you?
We talk about forgiveness quite often. Perhaps it is because we need a constant reminder. We need to be reminded that we are forgiven by God when we ask. We need to be reminded that we are to forgive, just as God forgives us.
Wait! Are we forgiven by God? As it turns out, the answer is, “it depends.” Depends on what? It depends on whether we forgive. Jesus tells us in straight forward language that if we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven. It is a hard truth. It is a truth we do not like to talk about.
Any ideas why God would do such a thing? Allow me to make a suggestion. A heart that is not willing to forgive is a heart that is not capable of receiving forgiveness. Sound odd? Think about it for a bit. If our hearts are so hardened by Satan and the corruptness of this world that we cannot forgive, how can our hard hearts truly receive forgiveness? A hard heart holds on to all the bad, including our own. We don’t forgive others and we don’t forgive ourselves.
The indicator of whether we will be forgiven or not is whether or not we forgive. It’s all about our heart. It has nothing to do with whether God is willing forgive. He is willing and capable. Our choice is to continue to be swayed by Satan and the harshness of our culture or we can become like Jesus and be willing to forgive. God sits waiting patiently for our decision.
I pray we all give up our hardened heart. I pray we stop being fooled by Satan and culture. I pray each one of us will decide to be forgiving—of others and ourselves. Ask God to soften your heart. Be willing to forgive. Forgive others. Forgive yourself. Accept God’s forgiveness.
Matthew 6:15 “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Marty Pressey 