Why is Forgiveness important? [Day 2]
When we feel so hurt by others, most at times, we ask ourselves why we need to even forgive those people. After all they didn’t care about our feelings before they did what they did. We contemplate on whether it is even necessary to forgive our offenders. But the truth is, forgiveness is not for our offenders but rather for ourselves. When we keep in anger, hurt, resentment etc it hurts and harms us more than it hurts or harms our offender. So in short, forgiveness gives us a sense of happiness and freedom. Forgiveness prevents us from seeking revenge on our offenders, and by so doing, escaping the wrath of God. Forgiveness also prevents us from living in the past, but rather living in the present. The more we hold on to the things someone did to us sometime ago, we live in the past and are unable to more forward in life. Forgiveness gives us a chance to see clearly, the good in those who have once hurt us. When we refuse to forgive, all we see is the negative things associated with our offenders. Most importantly, forgiveness is important because, the Lord has instructed us to forgive in order to be forgiven. As He was teaching the disciples how to pray in Mathew 6:9-13, He mentioned that they should forgive the trespasses of others, just as He The Lord forgives them. Long story short, if you don’t forgive others, your Father in Heaven won't forgive you. Why hold all that anger in, when you want your Father in Heaven to also forgive you? Prayer Father Lord, thank You for helping me to understand why I should forgive those who wrong me. Help me to do as Your Word has instructed in Jesus’s name. Amen!