Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Be angry but do not sin. do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. … 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, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:26-27;31-32
Forgiveness: God's Way to Freedom
Forgiveness can be hard, especially when we have been hurt deeply by someone. We can justify not forgiving and even believe that we have the right to not forgive and to hold onto resentment against the one who has offended us. God calls us not only to forgive, but to be open to reconciliation when true repentance is evident.
It is easy to let momentary grievances against us cause long-term problems. Unforgiven offences give Satan an opportunity in our lives. The word opportunity means a small area of occupancy and jurisdiction. When Satan gains a place in the soul he keeps us in bondage directing us to act from a corrupt center in our lives. Our speech and actions are affected.
We can forgive because we have been forgiven. The foundation for forgiveness is a life lived for Jesus. His forgiveness of us lays the foundation on which we can forgive others. The key to forgiveness is to focus on what God has done for you. As God forgave us (freely, undeserving) we are to forgive those who have hurt us. The first step to freedom from bitterness is to let God forgive you; confess your own bitterness; your selfish actions, hateful speech, carnal living. Next, agree with God that your feelings of bitterness, wrath, malice, etc. have no place in your life as a Christian. Then, thank God for the blood of Christ that cleanses you from your sin.
You will now be free to forgive your offenders and pull the root of bitterness from your heart. As an act of your will in faith before God, release them from any obligation to make things right and extend to them the same grace God has given you. Finally, ask God to take possession of the place in your soul that Satan claimed as his own. When you cease to grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (v30), He will assume His place in the center of your heart and replace all of the anger, bitterness, malice and slander with love. Now that is a good exchange!
