Forgiveness is a precious gift and one that brings joy to both the forgiver and the forgiven. There are not many choices we can make that will return as rich a reward to us as the choice to release others with forgiveness. Holding a grudge requires constant investment of emotional energy and locks us into a fixed state that prevents growth. No wonder Jesus urges us to forgive those who trespass against us.
A Christian who has been forgiven by his Heavenly Father must likewise forgive if he would live in the fullness of grace that is offered by the Lord to him. That is why the Word urges us to "never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink." (Romans 12:19-20, NLT)
In the story of Joseph, there is a sad footnote about forgiveness. He brought his whole family, including the brothers who had treated him so terribly in his youth, to Egypt. After 17 years, Jacob died. Even though Joseph had been kind to them, showing no inclination towards revenge, those men lived in fear that he had not truly forgiven them. The Bible says they cooked up a lie and went to their now powerful brother. “Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you?" (Genesis 50:16-19, NLT)
Lacking the godly heart of their brother, these men acted to protect themselves. Their failure to understand or accept Joseph’s forgiveness does not provoke him. Instead we read that ‘he broke down and wept.’ He felt sorry for the brothers who were still locked into a prison of fear and guilt by their failure to receive forgiveness and to forgive themselves! He shows us the true heart of a forgiver when he says that final justice belongs to God!
Disciple, are you hanging onto a grudge?
Are you trapped by some old debt, unwilling to either extend forgiveness or to receive it?
It’s time to change that. In Christ, we find complete forgiveness of our sins. The Word says, "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:10-12, NIV) Knowing that kind of mercy and grace, we are then enabled to release those who have sinned against us into His hands, fully forgiving them. Will you? It’s a great gift to others and to ourselves!
Here’s a word from the Word. Receive it with faith and live in the joy promised. "But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” (Mark 11:25, NLT)
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Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt!
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss.
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty Cross.
Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide;
Whiter than snow you may be today.
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within!
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?
Grace Greater Than Our Sin
Johnston, Julia H. / Towner, Daniel Brink
© Public Domain
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