1 John 1:9, Colossians 3:13, Philippians 4:13, Matthew 18:21-22

Lucy Paculabo Mhondera

For-give-ness: The action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.

Jesus at the age of 33 was put to death on a cross. It was a painful horrific death, paying the price for our sins so that we may be forgiven.

We do not deserve this outstanding act of love, yet Jesus died to bring us life; to set us free from death. As we confess our sins and say sorry for all the wrong we have done, He freely forgives us; continually pouring His grace and mercy on us everyday.

1 John 1:9 - 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.'

Jesus was perfect. We will never be perfect like Him. The reality is that we will sometimes make bad choices and do and say the wrong things; but we have a God who loves us and forgives us. All He asks is that we come to Him.

At times my mind battles to comprehend how God can forgive me over and over again; how patient He is with me as I trip and fall, yet He always forgives me no matter what!

In return for this amazing forgiveness God asks us to extend this act of love to others.

Colossians 3:13 - 'Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.'

It's not easy to forgive someone who has hurt you or hurt someone you love. It is naturally very hard to forgive freely, as we want to retaliate and lash out in anger; we want revenge and justice or we want to hide away and protect ourselves. However, God asks us to forgive, not just some people, but everyone!

Throughout our life we have choices and I believe we have to choose to forgive. We might not want to, but we must make a conscious decision to forgive in obedience to God's word. This can be very hard, but we must ask God to give us the strength and wisdom to help us through these situations to live according to His will and we can only do this with faith. We need faith that God forgives; that He will help us and faith that it's the right thing to do.

Martin Luther King Jr said it perfectly: "Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude."

I truly believe that once you make a decision to forgive and let go, you will notice the difference. So many people are trapped by feelings of bitterness and anger that grow deep inside and sadly they are the ones who suffer. It doesn't affect those they are angry towards, instead they end up destroying themselves.

Corrie Ten Boom was a Christian woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust. I can't even imagine the suffering and pain she must have endured throughout her life, yet she shared this:

"Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realise the prisoner was you."

Unforgiveness will only imprison you. The moment you choose to forgive, all the bitterness and anger will be replaced with peace. It's not easy and can be a slow and painful process, but just going through the process is a step in the right direction and God will help you with the rest.

Philippians 4:13 - 'I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.'

As He forgave you, so must you forgive. God asks for us to come to Him with everything in prayer, so pray for the person you want to forgive. Instead of talking about them or thinking badly about them, start praying for them and talking to God about them. As you pray for them God will work in you.

Matthew 18:21-22 - 'Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'

Jesus answered 'seventy-seven times', meaning that we shouldn't even keep track of how many times we forgive someone. We should just forgive. It's not an easy choice, but a decision we must make if we want to live a life of freedom, a life that Jesus died for, and a life that is pleasing to Him.