YOU'RE FORGIVEN (2)

'Praise the LORD... He forgives all my sins.' Psalm 103:2-3

If you've had one, you'll know that computer viruses spell doom. Malicious software spreads throughout your entire system, infects your files and, if not caught in time, takes down your whole system. Ignoring a virus is not an option, as once you have one it continues to damage and destroy, even transferring itself to other computers it can connect to. Colossians 3:13 says: 'Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others' (NLT).

Unforgiveness comes naturally to humans. But forgiveness is a gift from God, especially present in Christians, to use as often as needed. Without it we're allowing the fast-acting and fast-spreading effects of unforgiveness to run riot. It's not always easy. We don't always feel like forgiving, it doesn't always appear right, and often we just don't feel like it. Since forgiveness goes against our nature, we must choose to do it by faith. Forgiveness is a gift from God that allows us to relate to each other with real, graceful joy - ask God to help you install it deep in your soul.

What now? Search your heart for unforgiveness - of God, of others, of yourself. And ask the Holy Spirit to help you purge it from areas you can't find or aren't aware of. Remember: if we live our lives in personal gratitude to God, we will become accepting of His gift of forgiveness, and keener to spread it to others!

written by Bob Gass