Matthew 6:14-15
What do you do when you are
the victim of wrong or hurt another by your actions or words? Jesus says that
those who have been sinned against must forgive. So, how do I forgive and still
deal with my hurt, especially when they continue to hurt me? Learn the power of
forgiveness.
We are never more like God
than when we forgive.
Forgiving is love’s toughest work,
and love’s biggest risk.
Our hurt will tell the
direction needed for forgiveness.
The hurt that creates a crisis of forgiving has three dimensions. It is
always personal, unfair, and deep.
We hate people we blame or hold responsible for pain
in our lives.
When we are wronged, we hurt, then
attach feelings and give them immortality.
The harboring of bitterness is like a
cancer.
Bitterness is also contagious. We begin to spread the disease gathering
whoever will join us and take up an offense.
The essence of forgiveness is being resilient
when things don’t go the way you want.
The Secret to Effective Forgiveness:
- Before you can forgive, you have to grieve.
Entombed
bitterness is a source of depression.
- Depression = Anger turned inward. Psalm 32:1-5
It takes more energy to hold onto the pain and anger than to release
it and be free.
The most effective child training is based on this simple principle: 80% of all behavior is modeled
behavior.
The only response to
wrong that the Word of God commends the Christian to is love.
There is no revenge
like complete forgiveness.
