Forgive First!

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Matthew 6:12

One thing that Christians find difficult to do is forgiving each other. Sometimes we have the idea that, after God forgives us our sins, then we can also ask God to help us to forgive our fellow Christian brother or sister. But you see, that's not how it works. God actually wants us to be the first to forgive each other before He forgives us.

I had the privilege to sit and learn from the children service on Sunday. As they were discussing the Lord's Prayer, they came to the section on forgiveness, and as I listened attentively, I realized that I had been doing my forgiving all wrongly. "And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. If we never realized, there's a condition to God's forgiveness. Don't get me wrong, God is ever ready to forgive us when we sin against Him and regret what we have done. His word says that, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins if we confess. BUT, we only receive that forgiveness when we forgive others.

It's not easy to forgive that close friend or family member who has wronged you on so many levels. But let me try to help make it easy for you to forgive. It's very simple! If you don't forgive, trust and believe that God will also not forgive you. So always remember that, as you hold grudges, you are only preventing your own confessions from being heard by our Father in heaven. Let's begin to cultivate a habit of forgiveness. I mean total forgiveness with no strings attached, and God will gladly forgive us as well.

Prayer God, though I find it difficult to forgive sometimes. Help me to cultivate a habit of letting go in order to receive forgiveness from You as well. Thank You for being a merciful God! Amen!

Reference Scripture: Mathew 6:12