Foregiveness

Friday April 27 2012:

Colossians 3:13. “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you.  Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

We are often critical of others because they don’t reform to our way of thinking or because someone said or did something that hurt us?  Here, we are told to make allowance for the faults of others. 

I have seen a disagreement cause such a rift between people that they have deprived themselves of a relationship, which would have been beneficial and enhanced their lives. I know some who have actually closed a relationship with their own grandchildren or children because of what someone said many years ago.  

It is always because neither party is willing to ask forgiveness or even forgive the other.  What a tragedy! 

With Christian love it is so much easier to ask forgiveness than to carry a grudge that festers and becomes a deep bitter wound. A wound with someone else causes a wedge between you and your  relationship with God, which widens as the time lengthens. If  there is a problem, God can make a way where there is no way if we turn to him and ask for help.

Prayer for today: My Dear Jesus, I thank you for forgiving me each time I ask and I need your grace to forgive those who have hurt me. Help me not to harbour ill feelings toward anyone else but to be accepting of  those who might see things differently than I do. Help me to know when to make an issue of things and when to allow for differences. With your help I know I can forgive and show grace and mercy to others as you do for me.  In Jesus name, Amen.