what is the secret of genuine forgiveness? remember how much i’ve been forgiven. that’s the secret. remember how much i’ve been forgiven by GOD. i remember what it cost JESUS CHRIST to forgive me. all the things i’ve done. i’m not spotless. i’m not blameless. i’ve hurt a lot of people in my life. and so have you.
colossians 3.13 (nlt), remember the LORD forgave you so you must forgive others. GOD has forgiven you, so HE expects you to forgive those who have hurt you.
ephesians 4.32 (niv), be kind and compassionate to one other, forgiving each other just as in CHRIST, GOD forgive you. notice in CHRIST. you were forgiven, not because you deserve it. not because you earned it. not because you balance it out with good works. not because you promised never to sin again. but because you have put your faith in JESUS CHRIST. you’ve accepted HIS salvation. JESUS CHRIST is your SAVIOR.
what does that mean – to make JESUS CHRIST my SAVIOR? it means i accept HIS forgiveness for all i’ve done. and i am forgiven. not because i’ve worked for it. not because my good works are more than my bad works or the good things i’ve done are better than the bad things i’ve done in life. it’s because i’m in CHRIST. that’s the only way you get GOD’s forgiveness. you need to remember that.
i have no doubt that many of you are carrying deep painful wounds from the way you’ve been hurt by other people. and from the bottom of my heart, i am sorry. i’m really sorry. when you think about that betrayal, that hurt, that rejection or whatever it was, it seems as fresh now as it was when it happened. it may have been months, it may have been years, but you are still holding on to that hurt. just me talking about it, it pops back up in your mind. how are you going to get on with your life? there is only one way. forgiveness. it’s the only way you’re going to get on with your life and get over the hurt.
just a thought from the front porch…
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