The Hidden Commandment
Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
One of the most difficult things that an individual can do or will do is forgiving another person. At the first glance we may not realize the implications of this commandment. However, if we look into the lives of people, who have had un-forgiveness festering in their lives, you will see that it has created bondage in their and their children’s lives. It is like constantly dragging a large millstone attached to your hand.
There are many people who seem to have memorized the Lord’s Prayer; unfortunately they never seem to recognize this hidden & powerful commandment that Jesus has mentioned in the Lord’s Prayer. We always seem to be expecting God to forgive us, since we deserve it, but we never seem to forgive others who have sinned against us. Don’t they deserve it too?
Many people pass through our lives; however their attitudes, their upbringing, their selfish and individualistic nature always seem to brush our lives in a wrong way. Some do it intentionally and others unintentionally, but one thing is for sure that these incidents create a big mark in our life, like a tattoo on our face. And we carry them all through our lives, and for some until their death-bed. When we do not forgive them, our relationships with these people become bitter day by day and we never seem to experience peace in our own lives, even though we seem to be telling everybody else that things are going fine. It is like living a life of “bitter” denial.
Maybe your brother did things that offended you, maybe your sister cheated you from your family property, maybe your spouse treated you badly, maybe your mother left your dad for another man, maybe your friend betrayed you, maybe your employer blamed you for things that you never did and fired you. If we start counting, we will find thousands of reasons for not forgiving, but we will always find only one solution, that is forgiveness.
Based on some studies done it has been seen that un-forgiveness creates bitterness and resentment in our heart. The bitterness can feed into gossip or murmuring and some times it also leads to revenge. We tend to gossip to solicit sympathy from others and to prove how good we are, since we never did that grievous act. Sometimes people may not express their un-forgiveness through their mouth, but seem to keep it deep in their hearts. This can lead to problems related to your heart; it may make you sick and also lead to multiple complications.
If you say something about somebody and if you cannot say that in front of that person, then it is gossip. And also if things said about another person are untrue, then surely it is gossip, since we may think we are right, but we never seem to recognize the other person’s views, as to why he/she did the act or say things that hurt you. The issue is not, who did what and why, but it is a matter to forgive for no matter what the reason and move on. This is why the Bible tells us go to our brother or sister and work out (reconcile) our differences. When we reconcile, we become right in sight of God, we will have no bitterness in our heart against that person.
God never desired us to have bitterness in our lives, but we always seem to be making that choice to have bitterness through un-forgiveness. God’s commandment of forgiveness was not to bind us, but to release love, joy and peace in our lives. When these fruits of the Holy Spirit start dwelling in our life, bitterness is thrown out and blessings start flowing in. The bondage is loosened and we are released. Forgiveness eventually leads to release.
We all know the 10 commandments, but it is this hidden commandment that many of us struggle with and fail many times. I hope you recognize that forgiveness is NOT optional. This is not only a commandment from Jesus, but it a guarantee that you will receive love, joy, peace in your current and future life. Above all it helps us to be set right in front of God, especially when we mess up and require his forgiveness. Asking for forgiveness is our only “Life line” in front of a Holy God, but forgiving others for their sins against you is a pre-requisite for you to receive God’s forgiveness.
Jesus loves us very much and he recognizes that you need help to forgive others. If you are struggling to forgive somebody today, and you are finding it extremely difficult to forgive them, then all you need to do is ask Jesus to help you forgive them. God’s grace is waiting at your door step to help you forgive somebody who did wrong things to you, but you are the one who has to open the door for Jesus by simply asking for help. Jesus will keep waiting until you make that choice today.
Stanley Samuel
One of the most difficult things that an individual can do or will do is forgiving another person. At the first glance we may not realize the implications of this commandment. However, if we look into the lives of people, who have had un-forgiveness festering in their lives, you will see that it has created bondage in their and their children’s lives. It is like constantly dragging a large millstone attached to your hand.
There are many people who seem to have memorized the Lord’s Prayer; unfortunately they never seem to recognize this hidden & powerful commandment that Jesus has mentioned in the Lord’s Prayer. We always seem to be expecting God to forgive us, since we deserve it, but we never seem to forgive others who have sinned against us. Don’t they deserve it too?
Many people pass through our lives; however their attitudes, their upbringing, their selfish and individualistic nature always seem to brush our lives in a wrong way. Some do it intentionally and others unintentionally, but one thing is for sure that these incidents create a big mark in our life, like a tattoo on our face. And we carry them all through our lives, and for some until their death-bed. When we do not forgive them, our relationships with these people become bitter day by day and we never seem to experience peace in our own lives, even though we seem to be telling everybody else that things are going fine. It is like living a life of “bitter” denial.
Maybe your brother did things that offended you, maybe your sister cheated you from your family property, maybe your spouse treated you badly, maybe your mother left your dad for another man, maybe your friend betrayed you, maybe your employer blamed you for things that you never did and fired you. If we start counting, we will find thousands of reasons for not forgiving, but we will always find only one solution, that is forgiveness.
Based on some studies done it has been seen that un-forgiveness creates bitterness and resentment in our heart. The bitterness can feed into gossip or murmuring and some times it also leads to revenge. We tend to gossip to solicit sympathy from others and to prove how good we are, since we never did that grievous act. Sometimes people may not express their un-forgiveness through their mouth, but seem to keep it deep in their hearts. This can lead to problems related to your heart; it may make you sick and also lead to multiple complications.
If you say something about somebody and if you cannot say that in front of that person, then it is gossip. And also if things said about another person are untrue, then surely it is gossip, since we may think we are right, but we never seem to recognize the other person’s views, as to why he/she did the act or say things that hurt you. The issue is not, who did what and why, but it is a matter to forgive for no matter what the reason and move on. This is why the Bible tells us go to our brother or sister and work out (reconcile) our differences. When we reconcile, we become right in sight of God, we will have no bitterness in our heart against that person.
God never desired us to have bitterness in our lives, but we always seem to be making that choice to have bitterness through un-forgiveness. God’s commandment of forgiveness was not to bind us, but to release love, joy and peace in our lives. When these fruits of the Holy Spirit start dwelling in our life, bitterness is thrown out and blessings start flowing in. The bondage is loosened and we are released. Forgiveness eventually leads to release.
We all know the 10 commandments, but it is this hidden commandment that many of us struggle with and fail many times. I hope you recognize that forgiveness is NOT optional. This is not only a commandment from Jesus, but it a guarantee that you will receive love, joy, peace in your current and future life. Above all it helps us to be set right in front of God, especially when we mess up and require his forgiveness. Asking for forgiveness is our only “Life line” in front of a Holy God, but forgiving others for their sins against you is a pre-requisite for you to receive God’s forgiveness.
Jesus loves us very much and he recognizes that you need help to forgive others. If you are struggling to forgive somebody today, and you are finding it extremely difficult to forgive them, then all you need to do is ask Jesus to help you forgive them. God’s grace is waiting at your door step to help you forgive somebody who did wrong things to you, but you are the one who has to open the door for Jesus by simply asking for help. Jesus will keep waiting until you make that choice today.
Stanley Samuel
posted by Danesh Manik | 6:46 PM
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