FORGIVEN
By: Moriah Logsdon
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Colossians 3:13 ESV
Forgiveness can be one of life’s hardest disciplines. The reason I believe it’s so hard to forgive is because it’s not what seems fair. Law says a crime is punishable. So as a reflection of “justice,” that’s exactly what feels right (when you’ve been wronged). We want karma to take hold! When we base our actions or reactions on emotion, we can justify just about any way we act.
Psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they deserve your forgiveness.
The reason grace can be so hard for our flesh to give is because in the flesh, grace doesn’t make sense. Forgiveness is uncomfortable because you are no longer the judge of the crime committed against you. You are inviting the Holy Spirit to take care of it for you. You’re saying, “I don’t want this anger and pain, so I’m just going to give it to God.”
Why is it the things that cause us the most mental torment are the things that are hardest for us to give to God? He wants to take care of this for you. He wants to fight your battle. He wants to give you grace in exchange for your bitterness. Won’t you give it to him?
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Colossians 3:13 ESV
Forgiveness can be one of life’s hardest disciplines. The reason I believe it’s so hard to forgive is because it’s not what seems fair. Law says a crime is punishable. So as a reflection of “justice,” that’s exactly what feels right (when you’ve been wronged). We want karma to take hold! When we base our actions or reactions on emotion, we can justify just about any way we act.
Psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they deserve your forgiveness.
The reason grace can be so hard for our flesh to give is because in the flesh, grace doesn’t make sense. Forgiveness is uncomfortable because you are no longer the judge of the crime committed against you. You are inviting the Holy Spirit to take care of it for you. You’re saying, “I don’t want this anger and pain, so I’m just going to give it to God.”
Why is it the things that cause us the most mental torment are the things that are hardest for us to give to God? He wants to take care of this for you. He wants to fight your battle. He wants to give you grace in exchange for your bitterness. Won’t you give it to him?