God’s Second Greatest Gift

Matthew 6:14-15

What do you do when you are the victim of sin? Because the truth is, we all sin and we’re all sinned against. Jesus says that those who have been sinned against must forgive. You can’t say, “God, I want you to forgive me, but I refuse to forgive them.” So, how do forgive and still deal with my hurt, especially when they continue to hurt me? Learn the power of forgiveness.

God’s greatest gift was the gift of faith.

God’s second greatest gift is forgiveness.

To forgive is to grant pardon without harboring resentment.
The very nature of man and his weakness requires that, if we are to relate successfully, we must learn to forgive.

Forgiveness is always people-centered - not nature or systems. Only people can accept and respond to forgiveness.

People hurt us:

• out of their weaknesses
• with their good intentions
• by their mistakes
• when they have been hurt
• by not meeting our expectations

Give your expectations to God and let Him take care of how they are met.

Our hurt will tell the direction needed for forgiveness.

The harboring of bitterness is like a cancer.

When we are wronged, we hurt, attach feelings and give them immortality.

Hate and bitterness are often attached to loss...grief.

Before you can forgive, you have to grieve.

Entombed bitterness is a source of depression.

            Depression = Anger turned inward. Psalm 32:1-5

There is no revenge like complete forgiveness.

The only response to wrong that the Word of God commends the Christian to is love.