forgiveness

Let’s be honest. 

Sometimes it’s hard to forgive people. Our insides boil with rage like a volcano for a while, with flashes of fury and injustice whenever we see them or think about them. The hurt is hot, real, and painful. How can they not SEE how much pain they’ve caused? How could they treat me like this?

The Bible asks us to do something really difficult with this volcanic hot mess. Have a look at this from 1 Peter...

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” - 1 Peter 3:8-9

Repay evil with a blessing? Really? But of course that’s exactly what Jesus did for us - He forgave us, even when we far away from Him. Likewise, He asks us to forgive others around us too, especially when we don’t feel like it. And part of the reason is that unforgiveness is a dangerous thing to hold onto...

Eventually, volcanoes cool down, and those rivers of bubbling lava solidify into solid, cold rock, impossible to move - the landscape is reshaped forever.

If there’s anyone you need to forgive today, do it quickly before the pain solidifies and the relationship cools. Ask Jesus to show you compassion and humility, and make the choice to let unforgiveness go.