Matthew 6:14 AMP
For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Human relationships are complex. I am not sure you can find any interaction between two human beings that would not have some friction, bitterness and quarrels at different times. We have inherited the sinful nature from the first man Adam, and it is in that fallen nature to seek after the things that appease that nature. It is also a bit foolish to pray that people will not offend you. It is like praying that human beings will not act as humans. Offence is such a fundamental part of our human cycle. Married couples will go through that phase, as well as siblings too, but what will prove critical to the final outcome will be who I am. Today's verse was part of that first sermon of Jesus on the mountain, where He sat and taught His disciples about the principles of His kingdom. This message is not for the crowd at the foot of the mountain, who only seek words that support their sinful nature. This message is for people who will lay their lives down at the foot of the cross, and take up the grace, help and mercy available to enable them live in line with the demands of this verse.
Try as I might, I cannot conquer that human nature and its desires by sheer willpower and labour alone. Try as much as I want, I cannot defeat the devices and machinations of the devil by my own power or wisdom. I need the help of the One who has defeated the devil to overcome the devil. One way to defeat the wiles of the devil is to forgive. Forgiveness is 'an intentional decision to let go of anger and resentment' and to 'no longer feel angry about or wish to punish an offence, flaw, or mistake'. Can we see quite clearly that you cannot do this without help? You do not arrive at this destination by accident, but by a conscious desire to let go of hurt. It also becomes quite easy to do when you know what you have also been forgiven of. If the Lord could forgive me of my sin that could have led to eternal separation from Him, and giving the life of His own Son to pay the price I should have paid, what, then, could be so bad that I should not be able to let go? The verse above warns me of the danger of holding on to grudges. For the sake of my eternal journey, I ask God for grace that nothing will be so big that I cannot let go, and no hurt will be so deep that I cannot forgive. God's time of favour is here.
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