Forgive One Another
“…forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also.” Paul (Colossians 3:13b)
Love and Lordship in Focus…Unforgiveness in your life breeds bitterness and hatred…not just for those whom you’ve failed to forgive. It will fester until it rears its ugly head toward any and all who have any disagreement or conflict with you. Choose forgiveness and love!
First of all, I pray that you know Christ as Savior and Lord and are able to rejoice in and receive by faith His incredible gift of grace and sacrifice of His Life for the forgiveness of your sin(s) and the promise of eternal life to all who would believe in Him as Savior and Lord!
It is only because of Him that we can even know Love and how to love Him and “one another.” Last week we looked at the command to “bear with each other.” In that same verse, the Apostle Paul shows us what must be done in order to follow through with that command. He continue in Colossians 3:13b with, “…Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.”
As long as you are holding onto any grievance, sin or wrongdoing that someone has brought against you, it is impossible to bear with them if you do not first forgive them. In the same light of Truth we must be willing to ask for forgiveness when we have wronged others.
None of this is easy. As a matter of fact it is impossible without the forgiveness of Christ in our lives, the love of God in and through us and His Spirit that enable us to choose humility to both give and ask for forgiveness. In this way we can “bear with one another” and “forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.”
Holding onto any wrong suffered at the hands of another only adds to your burden which makes it eventually impossible to help carry the burdens of others as we are commanded to do as Christ followers.
Food for Thought…What grievances are you still holding onto that are weighing you down? What wrongs have you committed against another that you need to ask forgiveness for? These must happen, and by the grace we have in Christ they can, in order for us grow in Truth and Love for “one another” so more and more can truly come to know Christ as Savior and Lord.
Love in Action –
- Spend time with Him in His Word and prayer daily – read and study the Scriptures in this message as a way to start.
- Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
- Who do you need to ask forgiveness of in order to be obedient to Christ? Go to that person in humility and ask.
- Who do you need to forgive in order to be obedient to Christ? Lay it before The Lord and as He leads let that person know that you’ve forgiven him/her.
Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com.
Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Heavenly Father, first of all thank You for the gracious sacrifice and gift of Your Son on the Cross. Without this there would be no way that I could know You, know love and love others. It is only by His death that my sins have been forgiven and paid for so help me to do the same in my relationship with others, pointing them to Him as Savior and Lord. In His precious Name. Amen.