"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him, "Be patient with me," he begged, 'and I will pay you back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denari. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servants in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
St. Matthew 18:23-35
This parable ministers to me most when I begin to walk in a spirit of not wanting to forgive someone. I remember a few years ago I had a quarrel with one of my coworkers. I became angry at her because I had walked into the company break room where she and others were sitting and I'd said hello. Either she answered me very low or didn't answer me at all. Whatever the case I told myself that that was the last time I speak to her. I stuck to my guns and didn't speak to her for over a year. Our animosity fueled the fire so much that I also stopped speaking to her husband, her sister, and anyone that she had close contact with. We would be in the same room together and none of us were speaking to each other. Needless to say, it was a miserable environment. I vowed that I would never forgive her. I would never again speak to any of them! But God's words began to speak clearly to me. "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" Matthew 6:14 Though I clearly heard God speaking to me I still rebelled. I knew that it would take God to truly touch my heart to forgive my coworkers. But it didn't happen overnight. In my heart I truly wanted to forgive this woman but my flesh kept rebelling. It was during the summer not too much later after that when I was compelled to seek God in a time of fasting and prayer. And during this time the Lord changed my heart and put in me a spirit of forgiveness. Ten days later I felt like a new person. I felt something had really changed inside of me. I remember seeing the same woman in the bathroom after this and just saying simply "hello" to her. I saw something lifted from her. She said hello back to me and we made up right there. We hugged each other and vowed to never let something ever come between our friendship again. I also made up with her husband and sister. She told me a day later that when I spoke to her that she felt something lifted off her. She felt such freedom. And I did as well. All of the resentment and strife that we'd had was instantly healed. And we never let anything else come between our friendship.
When we forgive others we truly free ourselves from much heartache and misery. It breaks yokes and allows us to move on with our lives. Unforgiveness traps us. It keeps us bound down and enslaved. It opens the door to many more sins and the devil knows this. No wonder Jesus taught us to forgive.
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins"
St. Mark 11:25-26
When I think of the price that Jesus paid for me it makes it easier for me to walk in forgiveness. If you're in a position today where you have to forgive someone take this into consideration. And remember that you can never really move forward until you have come to peace with forgiving that person. Some hurts are worse than others There will be instances when you will have to really allow Jesus to help to see you through all the pain and hurt that someone may have done to you. I'm not going to stand here and say that will be an easy task because I know that it isn't. But it will truly make you feel better to get it out of your system and then just move on. Don't be fooled by the devil that it can't be done and that you can never forgive someone. If it wasn't possible then Jesus wouldn't have told us that we must forgive. I've seen some people so bitter and vow that they will never forgive someone for what they did to them. They say that they will go to their grave hating that person. And in many cases they do. They end up worrying and walking in so much anger and bitterness that they end up with a stroke or heart attack and die as a cause of that hate. It may not be easy but give that load and burden to Jesus and He will heal all the hurt and pain.
 | ||
| (Jesus forgives all our sins when we repent) |
When I think of the price that Jesus paid for me and how many things that He has forgiven me for it truly helps me to walk in forgiveness. I'm sure that I will be faced with many more opportunities that I will have to forgive others who are indebted to me. There will be times when you will have to as well. But we can't do it in our own strength. We truly need Jesus to help us. And He will. Go to Jesus and ask Him to help guide you when someone has wronged you. Ask Him to remove all the bitterness, anger, and resentment out of your heart. You may be fuming when you pray this, but Jesus truly will help you. He has been there for me when people who I thought would never hurt me, did. He will be there for you as well. He doesn't want us held back by walking in unforgiveness. Let Him lead and guide you today.
