As far as East is from West...

One of the most important things that we must do to be in right standing with God, is to forgive. The bible is filled with God’s instruction and command for us to forgive others the way He forgives us.

I think many of us “gloss” over the part “the way He forgives us.” Just because we say we forgive someone does not mean that our heart has completed it. That is actually the determining fact…that our heart has completed it. Many of us have grown up hearing, “Forgive but never forget.” That has led us to hold on to the hurt which renders us unable to truly forgive.

No one wants to believe they would deliberately disobey God but in reality, that is exactly what we are doing. When God forgives us, He forgets our sins as far as east is from west (Psalm 103:12).  If that is how He forgives, then that is how we are commanded to forgive others.  He has repeatedly said this.

Many times Satan uses man’s logic to twist God’s Word making us believe that we can have it both ways. After all, we are forgiving the person and we are “holding on to the lesson” so we won’t allow ourselves to get back into that situation again. Satigan has convinced us that it is ok for us to say we are sorry but and to always remember what the person did. He knew that by doing so, we are not if God’s Word and it opens the door for unforgiveness to slip in.

Guard your heart, know the difference, do not allow Satan to trick you. You must know God’s Word and choose God’s way it is always the right and just way. It would be a unimaginable to me to find out that my sins were not actually forgiven because I did not completely forgive others. How would you feel standing before God and hearing this? You cannot say you did not know. Check your heart, is there anyone who you hold a wee resentment for, someone who repeatedly hurt you and you just cannot forgive them totally? If so ask yourself this, "Is that person worth going to hell for?"

Have a wonderful and forgiving day, my friend. May there always be Shalom in your heart and in your home.