Day Sixty Three: Forgiveness in the Midst of A Storm
I might have mentioned in an earlier post that I am having a hard time forgiving our elected officials right now. The devastation I'm seeing first hand due to the edicts is heartbreaking to say the least. My family and I haven't been as affected as some have by the ongoing lock down. I am grateful for all the support I've been receiving, that I know others haven't. I have also seen the effectiveness of prayer with more people waking up to the absurdness of these restrictions.
I am reminded of 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) which reads: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." I have seen some movement of people truly repentant of their actions, and a little slimmer of hope as people realize the devastating consequences of their sinful actions. The key is that forgiveness comes from acknowledgement of sin. You have to believe and be convicted that you have sinned. Then you have to acknowledge that sin to God. In Psalms 32:5(KJV) the writer says "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine inquiry have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the inquiry of my sin."
The thing is that I must first confess my sins to God before I can begin to forgive others. Once I do that, then I am free to forgive those who have done me wrong. Psalms 86:5 (KJV) provides comfort and assurance. It reads: "For thou, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee." Please understand this. The individual has to be willing to confess their sins and call on God. The individual then will receive God's mercy.
Many are even now trying to cover their sins. They are seeing their wicked schemes being brought to light now. I have to believe, even though these people are prospering now, that some day soon they will falter. In Proverbs 28:13(KJV) we read: "he that covered his sins shall not prosper; but whose confesseth, and forsaketh them shall have mercy." It is that last part, especially when you're in the midst of a storm, that trips most people up. I know. I've been there. Confession is good for the soul, but true confession comes when you let go. I know I do need to let go of my anger and fear. It isn't productive. I need to forgive our governor, and pray for him. This isn't easy to do. It is probably the hardest thing to do.
I do have to remind myself that I need to rend my heart and turn unto the Lord. The passage in Joel 2:13(KJV) says this: "And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil." It is interesting to note here that Joel asks that his people may repent of their wicked ways in order for God to work in their lives. The fact that God is merciful and quick to forgive a truly repentant person is astounding. I marvel with Micah as I read in Micah 7:18(KJV) "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth inquiry, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." Wow! It is because of what God is doing through me that I can forgive.
Matthew 6:14(KJV) makes this clear. It reads: "for if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." If you don't forgive them, then the Father won't forgive your trespasses. This makes sense when you think of it this way. The bitterness and anger that you are feeling now over what someone has done to you is only going to hurt you. If you are unwilling to let go, you are not trusting God. You're actually telling him that he is not capable of doing anything for you. Letting go and forgiving each other isn't a one time action. In Matthew 18:21-22(KJV) we read: "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven." Did you catch that? The key element that most people miss is that you must first confess that sin to God, then you'll have the ability to forgive others. It is a clear action that you must first confess and clear away your sins, before you have the strength and ability to forgive others.
I have a confession to make. I haven't completely understood why it is important to confess your own sins before focusing on others. I just know that it makes it extremely difficult to forgive others when I don't take care of my own sins first. It also gives you a different perspective to that person. You are more apt to forgive someone else when you see the results of forgiveness in your own life. Mark 11:25(KJV) says it this way: "and when you stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father also which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." This collaborates with Luke 6:37 which reads: "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."
So what am I trying so hard to say here? The source of our forgiveness is God through his son Jesus Christ. It is to him that we confess our sins, not to man. When we confess our sins we can then forgive those who have sinned against us. Acts 13:38-39(KJV) makes this clear when it says "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." It is only through him that we can forgive. Ephesians 1:7(KJV) states that "in whom (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." How mind blowing is that! We're not going to be able to forgive others unless we first embrace Jesus.
Yes, I do realize that some of you are still struggling with this concept. It is through the free forgiveness that God lavishes on us for our sins, that we can then lavish it on others. I leave you with this verse to mull over this weekend...
Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
I am reminded of 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) which reads: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." I have seen some movement of people truly repentant of their actions, and a little slimmer of hope as people realize the devastating consequences of their sinful actions. The key is that forgiveness comes from acknowledgement of sin. You have to believe and be convicted that you have sinned. Then you have to acknowledge that sin to God. In Psalms 32:5(KJV) the writer says "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine inquiry have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the inquiry of my sin."
The thing is that I must first confess my sins to God before I can begin to forgive others. Once I do that, then I am free to forgive those who have done me wrong. Psalms 86:5 (KJV) provides comfort and assurance. It reads: "For thou, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee." Please understand this. The individual has to be willing to confess their sins and call on God. The individual then will receive God's mercy.
Many are even now trying to cover their sins. They are seeing their wicked schemes being brought to light now. I have to believe, even though these people are prospering now, that some day soon they will falter. In Proverbs 28:13(KJV) we read: "he that covered his sins shall not prosper; but whose confesseth, and forsaketh them shall have mercy." It is that last part, especially when you're in the midst of a storm, that trips most people up. I know. I've been there. Confession is good for the soul, but true confession comes when you let go. I know I do need to let go of my anger and fear. It isn't productive. I need to forgive our governor, and pray for him. This isn't easy to do. It is probably the hardest thing to do.
I do have to remind myself that I need to rend my heart and turn unto the Lord. The passage in Joel 2:13(KJV) says this: "And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil." It is interesting to note here that Joel asks that his people may repent of their wicked ways in order for God to work in their lives. The fact that God is merciful and quick to forgive a truly repentant person is astounding. I marvel with Micah as I read in Micah 7:18(KJV) "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth inquiry, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." Wow! It is because of what God is doing through me that I can forgive.
Matthew 6:14(KJV) makes this clear. It reads: "for if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." If you don't forgive them, then the Father won't forgive your trespasses. This makes sense when you think of it this way. The bitterness and anger that you are feeling now over what someone has done to you is only going to hurt you. If you are unwilling to let go, you are not trusting God. You're actually telling him that he is not capable of doing anything for you. Letting go and forgiving each other isn't a one time action. In Matthew 18:21-22(KJV) we read: "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven." Did you catch that? The key element that most people miss is that you must first confess that sin to God, then you'll have the ability to forgive others. It is a clear action that you must first confess and clear away your sins, before you have the strength and ability to forgive others.
I have a confession to make. I haven't completely understood why it is important to confess your own sins before focusing on others. I just know that it makes it extremely difficult to forgive others when I don't take care of my own sins first. It also gives you a different perspective to that person. You are more apt to forgive someone else when you see the results of forgiveness in your own life. Mark 11:25(KJV) says it this way: "and when you stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father also which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." This collaborates with Luke 6:37 which reads: "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."
So what am I trying so hard to say here? The source of our forgiveness is God through his son Jesus Christ. It is to him that we confess our sins, not to man. When we confess our sins we can then forgive those who have sinned against us. Acts 13:38-39(KJV) makes this clear when it says "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." It is only through him that we can forgive. Ephesians 1:7(KJV) states that "in whom (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." How mind blowing is that! We're not going to be able to forgive others unless we first embrace Jesus.
Yes, I do realize that some of you are still struggling with this concept. It is through the free forgiveness that God lavishes on us for our sins, that we can then lavish it on others. I leave you with this verse to mull over this weekend...
Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
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