WHY FORGIVENESS IS SO IMPORTANT

When I was very young, my great grandmother was killed in a car accident. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. She was my grandmother's mom. We called her, "Maw Maw Woose."

I miss my grandmother. I remember being able to talk to her about anything. There were times when I would vent to my grandmother. I would sometimes tell her when I was having problems with another person. She always had the same advice; "Rachelle, don't let the sun go down on your anger." She would always bid me to forgive.  She had always led to me to believe that she had some angry words with her mother or an unresolved issue, and never got the chance to say, "I'm sorry."

Today's message is simple. Forgive. Let it go. The people that we love won't be here forever, and
some things just aren't worth holding onto.

Make peace. Know that forgiving others doesn't mean that you have to put up with abuse from them. It does means that you can let go of the burden of hatred in your heart, and be set free from the anger that enslaves you.

Choose love.

The Bible  has much to say about forgiveness. Consider the following parable:

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

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Jesus had mercy on us, so it is important that we have mercy on others. 

If you are having trouble with forgiveness, simply talk to Jesus about it. He will help you and restore your peace.

Love,
Rachelle