Forgiveness

Relationships are like glass. Sometimes it's better to leave them broken than to hurt yourself trying to put them back together. Author Unknown

Though this anonymous statement is true, only the Lord can give the individual who has been wounded the insight to see whether or not a relationship has the potential to be salvaged, for only He can see hearts and only He can see the future. We know the Word tells us that we are to “prefer one another above ourselves,” Romans 12:10, and that we are to “forgive as we are forgiven,” (see Matthew 18:21-35) but it requires the Lord’s grace to apply these principles into relationships that have been hurtful.

All men have the potential to change--to conform within the depth of their beings to the image of Christ, to embrace and project kindness and to extend love to those around them rather than to harangue and badger them with the law; to resolve within themselves to mend rather than to destroy by their words and deeds--but all men do not choose to be conformed to Christ.

They prefer the Pharisaical projection of their own perception of wisdom into situations to Christ's projection of healing love (see Luke 18:11-14). Though it is difficult to evidence forgiveness in such circumstances, we are admonished that we must forgive as Christ forgave us; as He beseeched the Father from the cross, “…forgive them, for they know not what they do,” Luke 23:34.

Indeed, if men knew, truly knew the evil they were about, they would disdain it! They would give it up! But the wiles of the evil one are pervasive. The ability he has to blind his unwitting dupes is powerful. As II Corinthians 4:4 tells us, "The god of this world has blinded their eyes lest the glorious light of the gospel of Christ should shine unto them."

Unless all who are involved have surrendered themselves to Jesus, the fellowship of faith cannot be a reality. The part of the believer is to forgive as Christ forgave in spite of the lack of willingness on the part of the offender to receive forgiveness. When he has forgiven, he has won a victory for himself by the power of the living Christ within him! Our prayer must be that we will not leave the altar unforgiven because we are unwilling to forgive (see Matthew 5:4).