God Forgot Something Really Important!

WERE YOU AWARE THAT GOD FORGOT SOMETHING EXTREMELY IMPORTANT?

We can be notoriously bad sometimes at how we deal with conflict. Matthew Chapter 18 gives us a Biblical model for handling issues between believers and to some extent issues between anyone really. The process begins with going directly to the person that has offended you and trying to work it out peaceably. If the issue is resolved, no further action is necessary, the relationship has been restored. If not, then we are told to bring two or three witnesses to sort of mediate or arbitrate the dispute and if that still doesn't work then to bring the matter before the whole congregation.

Unfortunately, many times these issues are not resolved in an orderly manner because we don't really want reconciliation. We want an apology! Numerous times in the Scriptures we see the issue of forgiveness being dealt with. Over and over Jesus reminds us about the importance of forgiveness. 1 John 4:20 tells us that if we claim to love God but hate a brother/sister in Christ, the Bible says we are a LIAR and the love of the Father is not in us.

Often times we are so caught up in how we feel about a situation, that we fail to understand who forgiveness is actually for.

Forgiveness Is not for the one who offended you, it’s for you. The people that hurt you...life goes on for them as if nothing happened, but you go around carrying this huge grudge and it weighs you down every day.

"But they don’t deserve it!" Isn't that how we often think if we're honest? Guess what? You might be right, but forgiveness isn't for them it's for you! Once you've forgiven someone, how much sweeter is the fellowship that is restored if and when that person comes to you and acknowledges the offense? Now that may never happen, but at least you've dealt with it so that you can move on and find joy and peace again.

God is no different. In Isaiah 43:25, God says “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”

Who is the offender and who is the offended in our relationship with God? WE are the offender of course, but look what He says....He says He will not remember our sins for HIS OWN SAKE. He placed our trespasses on Himself in the person of His Son Jesus so that He could bury them once and for all in the depths of the sea....

"He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:19)

You see, forgiveness was not for us. Forgiveness was for God, so that when we acknowledge what we've done, He can say "I've already forgiven you".

#forgiveness #forgetful #churchdiscipline