R e v e l a t i o n

DevotionTWENTY-SEVEN: Forgiveness is Costly

Forgiveness is free to the person who receives it but very costly for the person who dispenses it. The one who does the forgiving must absorb the cost and let the offender go free.

Paul said that christians should not take other believers to court because it is a poor testimony to the people of the world. Then he adds, "Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?" ( 1 Corinthians 6:7). To forgive someone who has chiseled you out out of your rightful inheritance is costly to you, but its better than going to court before unbelievers.

L. Gregory Jones: "Unfortunately, the cost of forgiveness is too high for many people. Consequently, they invent and turn to cheaper versions of forgiveness, ones that will enable them to 'feel' or 'think' better about themselves - or simply to 'cope' with their situation - without having to engage in struggles to change or transform the patterns of their relationships"

Christian forgiveness requires our death, understood in the specific form and shape of Jesus Christ's dying and rising. That our old selves may die to find a future not bound by past. If God paid our debt at high personal cost, what makes us think we can pay someone's debt without accepting some loss?

People may have wronged us, say or do hurtful things which they may / may not know could have impacted us so badly one way or another. But, havent we done countless things, say words in moment of anger that would have shattered our heavenly Father's heart? When we turn our back on Him, choose to confide in friends instead of our First Love, dont u think our Father up above feels hurt too? Or when we choose not to do the things He instruct us...we have done so many things to make Him tear. But still, Jesus took the first step to die on the cross that our sins may be forgiven.

Its hard when we look at situations and think how we could forgive someone who seem the least remorseful for the things they did to us. But, remember to always focus on Jesus. Lets take the first step to open up and forgive the person. He/she may not be willing to accept it or may still continue to hurt u. But surely, His grace is sufficient and through Him who gives u strength, would He enable you to look at the world/situations with a different perspective only if you would allow Him to.

In time, we'll learn that we have mych more to gain by forgiveness than we have to lose.

To forgive is difficult. To forgive is costly. Thats why Jesus had to die. - Erwin Lutzer