Unforgiveness
Submitted by Frank Williams
July 11, 2024
Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Many will not forgive because they think what someone did is not fair. So they hold on to a grudge, like a dog does to a bone, and refuse to let it go. Even the Holy Spirit hasn’t wrestled it away from them.
A pastor tells the story. Years ago, two women in his church just did not like each other. On a church work day, they ended up in the auditorium alone—so they thought. The pastor was on his knees trying to clean up some spilt paint.
One of the ladies said to the other, “I have to pray to just tolerate you!” The other, “You need to pray because you are so hateful. I can’t stand you.”
Then, the pastor stood up, and their demeanor changed to sugary sweet. “Oh, Pastor, how are you? Are you having a good day?” He said, “I am but it does not sound like you are.” And he took them to his office to talk about their attitudes. He was met with, “But you do not know what she did.”
Such attitudes among believers hinder the work of the Holy Spirit. (Eph 4:30) He is grieved with our sinful attitudes, and if He is grieved, His blessings cannot be upon us. If we do not forgive others, we will have an ugly spirit, and in turn, we will be hurtful to others.
Ro 12:9-10 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
When God tells us to LET, He is calling for us to make a decision. Love is a decision you make. Abhoring evil is a decision you make. Being kind, loving, and honoring another is a decision you make. And forgiveness is a decision you make.
It takes the power of the Holy Spirit for us to overcome our own proud, selfish natures. But He cannot flow through us with victory... if we will not LET.
It is easy to justify a wrong spirit if you are convinced what someone did was not fair or right. You may be right, but God wants us to live above how others may treat us. If we live in anger, hurt, and unforgiveness, we are living with a selfish, carnal mentality.
The good news—1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Consider – Hurting people hurt others! Is there anything between you and another person?
Did You Know? Hershey’s Kisses are named after the kissing sound the deposited chocolate makes as it falls from the machine on the conveyor belt.
