Once, we too were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But—
When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. – Titus 3:3-7, NLT
People often ask why we are the way we are. Why we allow people to do things to us and still forgive them? Are we weak? Are we people pleasers? Are we insecure? No! The contrary is true: we choose to turn resentment into forgiveness, hatred into love, fighting into peace because we have been there, done that and saw that it does not pay. Moreover, when we came to our senses and changed our ways, God graciously forgave us.
We were in every way as sinful and evil as those people are to us, but we were forgiven because of God’s mercy. How dare we withhold that mercy from others? The same kindness and love God showed to us when we were the offenders is what we are to show to those who wrong us.
Dear Lord Jesus, please help us to be a conduit of your love and mercy. Help us to extend what we have received from you to others. Lord, let it be a witness to the world and a sweet-smelling sacrifice to you. Please receive our thanksgiving in Jesus’ name, amen.
By Margaret Musekwa, Webmaster
Riviera, South Africa
Loved your article but I do have one question. Aren’t we forgiven (Christ was slain before the foundation…) even before we ‘come to our senses and change our ways’? We just don’t know it yet because we haven’t come to our senses.
Thanks Margaret for the reminder to forgive others now who treat us wrong, even as we have been forgiven by our Father whom we have sinned against, so that His Will, His Love will be practice on earth as it is in Heaven. Mt 6:9-12
I am in a situation right now where I have to be that person to forgive a person who is doing things to upset me all the while knowing nothing of why he hates me. I want to give good so that maybe someday he will know that somebody cares. Not because of his behavior, but because of the love of God.