Forgiveness is like spinach

Forgiveness is like spinach. You know it is good for you but sometimes it is hard to swallow. (This is not an original, I heard it somewhere ...)

Think about popular phrases like “Go ahead, make my day,” or, “I don’t get mad, I get even!”. These are very familiar to us. We’ve probably even thought these or said these at some point in time. Yet, they are very wrong – why?

Jesus expects us to have better attitudes than this. Revenge may seem sweet but it is not Christ-like. Remember the story of Peter when he asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone. He thought he was being generous when he said 7. Jesus responded that we should forgive someone seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:21-22) Wow – that’s asking a lot, isn’t it?

Then there is the Lord’s Prayer which tells us we should forgive others their sins, just as we want God to forgive us our sins. (Matthew 6:12) We recite this prayer but do we really think about the words. Do we think about how we depend on God to forgive us and what would happen if He didn’t? If we really think about it, if the God of the Universe can forgive us all our sins, why can’t we forgive each other?

Then there is the passage from Romans 12:19-21 “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Why don’t we want to leave vengeance to God? Do we think he is too merciful? Don’t we want him to be merciful to us?

Do you remember the story from Matthew 18 where Jesus tells about a servant who has been forgiven a big debt by the king? Then that same servant has the chance to forgive someone else and pass on the blessing. Is that what he does? No, he demands payment and when the man can’t pay, he demands he be thrown in prison. The king finds out and is very angry and he goes and has the man thrown into prison because he couldn’t forgive others.

Forgiveness is something that I have to work on – it isn’t always easy. I need to work on it each day and one decision at a time. Try to take issues to God in prayer and ask Him to help you forgive others. Forgiveness takes perseverance and hard work but it is worth it. When I refuse to forgive, I put a barrier up between me and God. It will affect my prayer life and my service. What I am saying when I refuse to forgive someone is that what the person did to me is more important than my relationship with God.

I know that I have truly forgiven someone when God’s love can flow through me to the person who wronged me. When my decisions are not controlled by how I feel about someone else. When I am free from the pain and anger towards that person and when I am experiencing God’s peace.

Do you need to forgive someone? Is a lack of forgiveness affecting your relationship with God? Ask God to give you the desire to forgive and then the ability to do it.