Thursday, w5d4/Can You Forgive?
Read: Colossians 3:12-15; Matthew 18:21-35; SOAP: Colossians 3:13
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Colossians 3:13
Do you know someone whose lifestyle, mannerisms, or conversations make life unpleasant or difficult for you? Perhaps you cannot even stand to be around them, but they’re always in your day-to-day life ~ at work, school, or even connected to your friend group. Paul says to “bear with them,” or my favorite translation: “make allowance for their faults.” What about someone who has offended or hurt you with harsh words, or other wounds so deep you can’t even begin to see your way past the hurt, let alone forgive them? Regardless of the offense, Paul (a messenger of God) makes it clear that we are to “forgive anyone who offends us.” I know, I know ~ some of you are shaking your heads right now, saying I just can’t do it. Oh, but you can, and here’s how: Remember how the Lord has forgiven you. Think about the things you have done that have offended God, for all of us have fallen short of His glory, we have sinned against Him and we know that the wages of sin is death – yet God, in His grace and mercy, loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to the cross in our place so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life. He made a way where there was no way. The wages of our sin is death, but instead He gave us life! How then can we not forgive those who have sinned against us?
Still not convinced that you can’t forgive ‘that person’? Consider this story and the actions of Corrie Ten Boom:
Corrie Ten Boom was a Dutch Christian who hid Jews from the Nazis during the Second World War. Someone betrayed her family. They were imprisoned, and Corrie and her sister, Betsie, were sent to a German concentration camp. They endured unimaginable sufferings before Betsie died in the camp. Corrie was eventually released. After the war ended, she started to share her story.
One time, when she was speaking in Germany, a man approached her. “Miss Ten Boom,” he said, “do you remember me?” Corrie immediately recognized him. He had been one of the most cruel guards at the concentration camp. He went on: “I have become a Christian. Now I would like to ask you, Miss Ten Boom, will you forgive me?”
Corrie recalls, “I could not forgive him. I thought of the suffering of my dying sister…Yet, Jesus had said that when we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us either. But I could not! I could only hate him! And then, I remembered Romans 5:5: ‘the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.’ And I said…’Thank you, Father, because your love is stronger than my hatred!’ In that same moment, I was free, and I could forgive. It was as if God’s love streamed through my arms as I shook hands with that man.”1
Can you forgive? No. Neither can I. But He can!2
Friend, not only does God tell us that we are to forgive others, but He makes it clear that if we don’t forgive others, He will not forgive us (Matthew 6:15). I pray if there is someone you haven’t been able to forgive, that you will stop and take some time to remember how He has forgiven you. Thank Him for that forgiveness and let the depth of His love release you to forgive those who have sinned against you. And may He also help you make allowance for (or bear with) those who offend or frustrate you.3
Reflection and Application
- Are you holding any grudges against somebody who has disappointed you or even deeply hurt you? By God’s power, are you willing to forgive them?
- Take time today to pray and ask God to help you forgive, knowing that we have been forgiven by God for our sins.
Response of Prayer
Praise God, He has forgiven me of ALL my sins! He has declared me free from condemnation (Rom 8:1) and set me free from captivity to sin (Rom 6:14-15)! Amazing love, how can it be that Thou, my God, would die for me?! Amazing love, I know it’s true, and it’s my joy to honor you in all I do ~ I honor You.
Response of Worship
The More We Know
- Christ Is All I Need, p156, Love God Greatly ↩︎
- Ibid ↩︎
- The word for “bear” in the original Greek means “to endure something unpleasant or difficult.” Bearing with one another implies willingness to endure with other believers, despite differences and frustrations. We are to live in a spirit of humility and treat one another with patience and compassion. Real relationship, especially in a community as diverse as the church (Colossians 3:11), will always require forbearance. But this isn’t just putting up with each other or glossing over difficulties while harboring bitterness or allowing sinful behaviors to run rampant (Colossians 3:5–11; Galatians 6:1–5; James 5:19–20). We are to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, ESV). This is based on the work of Christ and grounded in the truth of who God is and what He has done (Ephesians 4:4–6; John 17:20–23). To that end, believers are called to forgive one another as the Lord forgives us (Colossians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:19). Jesus Christ is our standard in bearing with one another and demonstrating forgiveness (Colossians 2:13). He never compromises truth, and He always acts in love (Ephesians 4:15–16). ↩︎
Me From the Inside Out 