Walk in His Forgiveness

 

And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

—Luke 17:5

 

 

After Jesus had shared His teachings on forgiveness, the disciples, recognizing the crucial role of faith, humbly asked Him to enhance their faith. This request wasn’t a desire for a spiritual boost but a profound acknowledgment of the faith required to walk in love and forgiveness, a faith as significant as that needed to believe in miracles.

 

The source of forgiveness is rooted in God's never-ending love and mercy. It is His initial love and forgiveness towards us that enables us to extend the same to others. Without embracing God's forgiveness, we are unable to offer it to others. The Scriptures guide us to forgive as Christ has forgiven us. God, in His infinite mercy, extended His forgiveness to us even when we were steeped in sin. This forgiveness is freely available to all, but it is only those who accept this gift through repentance and faith who are welcomed as children of God.

 

In the same way, we are to forgive others for what they have done to us, just as God has forgiven us. We forgive whether or not the other person repents or wants our forgiveness. However, we cannot restore a relationship with someone until they repent and forgive us. 

 

The failure to understand the difference between forgiveness and restoration in different situations has caused suffering. In marriage, we should forgive our spouse for anything, even unfaithfulness. But if there is no repentance on our spouse’s part, it would be foolish to trust him in certain situations. We should forgive someone for stealing from us whether or not he repents, but that doesn't mean we need to trust him in a situation where he might steal again. Complete restoration of a relationship is dependent on repentance in both people. 

 

God couldn’t restore a relationship with you until you accepted His forgiveness for your sins. Likewise, you cannot have a restored relationship with someone else until they accept your forgiveness and repent of their anger toward you. 

 

In the series The Chosen, Matthew is extremely hurt by Simon Peter’s anger toward him. He goes to Jesus about it. Jesus suggests to Matthew that he needs to apologize to Simon for hurting him when he worked with the Romans to come after him for taxes owed. Matthew hadn’t considered the hurt he had caused Simon in the past. Matthew finally decides to apologize to Simon, and Simon doesn’t know what to do with that forgiveness. He lashes out and pushes Matthew away. But repentance in Matthew had already begun its work in Simon. Simon eventually forgives Matthew, and they have a new relationship based on mutual repentance and forgiveness. 

 

The enemy uses unforgiveness to destroy you. He uses it to destroy relationships. Don’t keep unforgiveness in your heart. Forgive as Jesus has forgiven you. Just as God couldn’t make you receive the forgiveness He offered you, you cannot make someone accept the forgiveness you offer. However, when you forgive someone, forgiveness in you can draw them to repentance. It is the goodness of God that draws all of us to repentance.

 

Forgiveness is the greatest miracle. You have Jesus. You have the faith to forgive. Walking in forgiveness is walking out His love in your life. What you have freely received, freely give. Walk in His forgiveness today. 

 

 

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