Pain and emotional trauma have always been associated with the concept of forgiveness.
Hello Precious Reader. Thank you again for coming up here to read from me.
Today, my focus is on the severity of the concept of forgiveness. The severity, we often times don’t talk about.
I’ve watched how believers are persuaded to forgive (it’s hard to forgive for reasons humanly understandable), when they eventually do, they do it in a manner that is with so much pride as though saying “I don’t normally forgive but it’ll be rude to ignore the persuasions of these good people”.
If this is how you think, if this is how you forgive, then you have no idea what forgiveness is, you do not even understand the forgiveness that you have received.
When you contemplate the extent God went to express His act of forgiveness… Listen, He forgave you not because you remedied the situation but because He remedied the situation and you believed. Glory to God!! Contemplating this in the Spirit of truth will make you burst out in thanksgiving and even lose your ability to be offended.
Oh yes, I am of the opinion that you can walk with God to the point of losing the ability to be offended… Self is put to death.
I believe also that the joy of being forgiven is fully grasped in forgiving another.
So what is forgiveness?
Simply, forgiveness is the act of pardoning an offender. In Greek, it literally means “to let go”.
This is simple right? But not as simple as it looks. It is more serious when you try to forgive and when you don’t forgive, the consequence is graver than we actually admit.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting that a situation ever occurred. Neither does it mean to condone an offence. Condoning the offence is not the same thing as forgiving… Forgiving is more about the offender than the offence.
Before we go into scripture let me just say that I think for someone to really know how to forgive (though there are different kinds of methods people advice), they must have understood their imperfect frame and must remain in the forgiveness of God.
The above statement is very important. Read it, meditate on it and pray with it.
Matthew 18:21-35 (KJV)
“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
The status “Forgiven” is not maintained except by forgiving others.
This is what many fear to say or hear. I’m grateful it’s clear in the passage of scripture above. You can lose your own forgiveness because you didn’t forgive and you will receive the just recompense of reward for all your evil that were actually forgiven.
Again I am convinced that no one who has not experienced the love of God, who hasn’t been filled with the Spirit can truly forgive because forgiveness is a characteristic of love. The basis of forgiveness is Love (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).
You must also know that God commands forgiveness. If you do not forgive, you are disobeying God.
let me add this, He also commands that you should be slow to anger. I laugh when I think that sometimes we think we’ve forgiven someone and God is saying “you shouldn’t have gotten angry in the first place“… Just by the way.
This is the temptation that makes you not forgive, it is the pain that it has caused you. If you will only focus on the commandment of God through Jesus and His Apostles to forgive, Grace will be sufficient for you. For a contrite heart and a broken spirit He will not turn away. Amen!
Dear friend, I don’t intend writing a long epistle today, I only want to draw your attention to the grace you have enjoyed, the grace that’s available and the dangers of forfeiting that grace because you have refused to extend that love to another.
Ask God sincerely for a meek and gentle spirit and ask Him to help you forgive those who have hurt you.
Thank you for joining me today. I will write to you next week another piece the Lord will bless you through.
Don’t forget to share this, like, comment and follow the blog.
God bless you. Have a great weekend.
Ancient Word 
I am bless by this. May God continue to infuse more insight to you.
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Amen Pastor
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