Forgiveness

​“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32)

At times we might struggle to forgive someone who has offended us. Yet, how quickly we forget that we ourselves were forgiven well before we even asked God to forgive us. (Romans 5:6).Therefore, it is often easier to talk about forgiveness but a great deal more challenging to actually forgive.

Still, we thank our God that he is longsuffering and did not give up on us. For, he knew that the “light momentary affliction” was drawing us closer to salvation. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

And so, in return, we are encouraged not to give up on people as he never gave up on us. Yes, that can feel like it is asking a lot, but all things are possible through Christ Jesus. He has given us the strength to forgive and not just for the benefit of the other person. While the pain of the offense pushes us closer to God, forgiveness brings us peace and roots out bitterness and resentment so that we can rest in his presence. 

GiGi❤️