Hello Balanced Life Family,
Even though you are a Christian and have a spiritual life, you live in a fleshly body. While living in this body you will have all types of experiences. Some good and some bad. People won’t always treat you fairly. There are those who will cheat, lie, deceive, abandon, misuse or abuse you. There are so many evil deeds that you may experience in life. How should you react? The question arises, “Should I forgive?”
The answer is yes, you should forgive. Why forgive? First of all, you forgive because your heavenly Father tells you to forgive, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
Another reason to forgive is that it makes you free from the burden of hate, resentment, bitterness, and displeasure. You don’t want that mess in your life. When you forgive others, you’re not doing it for them, you do it for yourself. It makes you feel so much better.
As long as you refuse to forgive you are giving the person who wronged you power over a portion of your life. Is that what you want? It affects different people in different ways. Some people can’t sleep, some lose their appetite, others simply get stressed out, and some have no joy or peace. Then there are those who can’t have a decent relationship because they’re still harboring unforgiving feelings.
Did you know that refusing to forgive can even make you physically sick? Refusing to forgive makes you angry. Anger can put stress on your body and weaken your immune system. This will expose you to a greater risk of getting sick. Is it worth it? Jesus tells us plainly in the Word of God to forgive every time someone offends us. “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times: but until seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:22 That means you can’t say “I forgive you but this is the last time.” There is no limit to forgiving.
Finally, if you want God to forgive you when you pray, then you must forgive others. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:” Matthew 6:14
Don’t carry bitterness, anger, and hatred throughout your life. Free yourself up! Enjoy life in peace without that heavy burden and FORGIVE.
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