Forgive others

There is an old saying that holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. There is nothing good that will come from holding a grudge, NOTHING. However, there are some people that will forever hold a grudge - FOREVER. Not only is it eating them up from the inside out, it is interfering with his/her relationship with GOD.

It is impossible to be right with GOD and wrong with someone else. If we can't mend fences with our fellow man, how can we expect GOD to accept our prayer for forgiveness? Now, I have said before that there are certain people that I don't need to be around - they bring out the worst in me, and vice versa. However, I don't hold a grudge against anyone. I wish absolutely no ill will towards anyone. I know how much GOD has forgiven me.

Today's word is Mark 11:25, NLT, which reads, "But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in Heaven will forgive your sins, too."

There is something very serious in this verse that we don't need to gloss over or miss. It tells us that when we are praying, FIRST we must forgive those we feel have slighted us, hurt us, used us. And, let me tell you, that is hard to do. It is hard to let go of wrongs that have been inflicted upon us, especially from those that we thought were our friends. Yet, if I will take the time to think of all the times I have wronged JESUS and, yet, He has forgiven me when I asked.

Now, as I have mentioned before, this doesn't mean that I am to forget and let you abuse/use me over and over. No, I will forgive; I will not forget. I will forgive you but I won't allow you to do it again. I will forgive you though. I must. If I want GOD to forgive me, I have to forgive others.

Be Blessed,
Mickey T