Imagine driving to work on a busy highway, minding your own business. Suddenly, to your right, someone runs a stop sign and, with squealing tires, zips in front of your car, forcing you to slam on the brakes and pull off to the side of the road. As you try to calm your nerves, the jerk in the other car never seems to acknowledge his mistake and speeds on down the highway.
How would you react? Would you scream, cry, shake your fist, curse him and all of his ancestry? Would you spend the rest of the morning describing what happened to your coworkers? Would your day be ruined, all because of the senseless, irrational act of a stupid jerk who thinks the open road is paved for him. And another thing …… you are sick and tired of being the patsy?!!! ...
Yet, the other driver ... the jerk who caused all of your suffering is merrily going on with his life, having no knowledge of what he did to you. Think about it. The other driver was responsible for the near-accident, but your reaction was not his fault. It was yours. The real damage was entirely self-inflicted. In a word, it is called: resentment.
One definition of resentment is to re-feel the pain. Resentment is like accidentally cutting your hand with a knife and then deciding to avenge yourself by stabbing the other hand. Ouch, that hurts
The disciples were asking Jesus how to strengthen their faith. Jesus said: "If your brother (or sister) sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him" (Luke 17:3,4).
Does an attitude of forgiveness ever come easy? Never! It's a process that we must work at continually, but God makes a clear promise that your willingness to forgive will give you a faith that will move mountains and change your life. Great! Now if I can only forgive that jerk on the highway who almost killed me!
If we live like most of us with the expectation that forgiveness only comes when asked for that person will never be forgiven because we will in all probability never see them again. But the Bible said we are to forgive in the same way God for Jesus sake forgives us. Paul tells us how in book of Romans.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV)
God forgives in advance. He says, “I know you are going to hurt me so I forgive you in advance. I pay the price for your sin before you ask for forgiveness.” So when we come to Him and confess our sin (and we must do that), God doesn’t have to go for therapy to figure out how He can forgive us. He has already done that. If we can just get it! Get what! Because we are human, and those around us are human, we will all mess up and need forgiveness. Then let’s decide in advance that when they mess up and hurt us they are forgiven. That’s what Jesus did.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for my “quick to judgment” attitude, and my moments of unforgiveness. Help me to forgive as You forgave me. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
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