FORGIVE BY FAITH

By: Dennis Harworth

     People!  We have to associate with them in one way or another.  We have to work with them; go to school with them; or go to church with them.  As a family, we live with them.  In a less personal way, we have to drive the freeways with them.  Because people are usually thinking about themselves and not you, it can become very easy to be offended by them.  Since people are not perfect, there are ample opportunities to operate in forgiveness during the course of our day and many of them come before we even get off the freeway.

     The sad truth is the worst pain (other than sickness) comes from people.  People tend to hurt one another, often without ever realizing it.  It is what we do after the offense that can make the difference in our lives.  We have a choice to forgive and enjoy the benefits (obedience); or bury unforgiveness deep into our soul and let  the bitterness hinder our happiness (disobedience).  It is totally our choice.

By choosing not to forgive, you steal joy and peace from someone’s life.

That someone is you!

     Most of us know we should forgive at some point.  But when the subject of forgiveness does come up, we use the excuse, “You don’t know what they did to me” and refuse to let it go.  There is the misconception that we have to be emotionally ready to forgive.  Nothing could be further from the truth because forgiveness is by faith, not by feelings.  Jesus tells us one of the things to having the faith of God (Mark 11:22) is to forgive (verse 25).  It has nothing to do with feelings!  If we wait to “feel like forgiving”, it’s probably not going to happen.  Forgiveness is by faith, not by how we feel. 

     While Jesus was on the cross He said, "Father, forgive them…" (Luke 23:34).  He said this at the very height of extreme physical pain and mental anguish.  How could He do that? It is by the love of God.  As a believer this same love is in you by faith, and just like Jesus, no matter how severe the pain, you can forgive others by faith.

Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” 

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. 

He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. 

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

     Therefore, no matter how deep the hurt or great the offense, when God’s Word tells you to forgive (Matthew 6:12, Matthew 18:21-22, Mark 11:25, Luke 11:4, Luke 17:3-4, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13), it is a must to trust and believe that you can forgive.  So, choose for yourself to:   FORGIVE BY FAITH.