Forgiving One Another

[Chad]

Forgiving One Another
Charles Stanley

Ephesians 4:29-32

An unforgiving spirit is like an insidious cancer that eats away at a person until it has a devastating impact. But while physical cancer often can’t be seen or felt until it is a real danger, the cancer of unforgiveness often steals a person’s joy for years. Yet there is a sure healing process for this cancer:

Repentance: You must assume responsibility for your unforgiving spirit toward someone and then have a change of mind. You must ask forgiveness for your unforgiveness, and then you must forgive the person in mind.

Release: No longer should you hold over someone the debt you feel they owe you. This release is an act of the will. Feelings have nothing to do with it, though some people sense a "release" of their own at this point.

Recognition: You acknowledge that the person’s wrongdoing toward you exposed a weakness in your life. Your resentment, hostility, bitterness, and desire to seek vengeance are areas God wishes to whittle away.

Remembrance:: You should remember continuously how often God forgives you. How many times have you asked His forgiveness? How many times has He said no?

You cannot truly experience the joy of God’s forgiveness until you follow His model and forgive those who have wronged you. Life is so much sweeter when the heart is tender and not tainted.

 

[gentle]

Amen. So be it.

 

[Diamondlight]

Charles Stanley is an excellent preacher; i often listen to him on the radio here in England.

These sermon notes on forgiveness are clearly set out and easy to understand.

The part under the heading "Release" where it mentions the "debt you feel they owe you" reminds me of the parable concerning the payment of debts. So often we can feel like we do forgive someone and yet still hold (in our eyes) debt as an unpaid account. Which is why we stil have a problem with them. On the surface, we can sincerely feel like we have forgiven them simply because we can be polite, remain in control of our feelings and say kindly things towards that person. However, the fact that we feel their (supposed) debt still needs to be mentioned at all is an indicator in itself that unforgiveness is still an issue or we would not have reason to even bring it up at all.

Under the "Recognition" heading, the thing that jumped out at me was, that the person who wrongs you, really has exposed a weakness and for that we should be thankful. It is far more valuable for us to see and deal with that weakness in us, than often the actual wrong done to us itself.

Great post!