Read Ephesians 4:25-32
“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32 (HCSB)
One thing we all have in common is that we have all been hurt by other people. Others have said or done things that have hurt us. Sometimes we’ve been hurt by what someone failed to say or do. The issue in life is not “will we be hurt” but “how will we respond when others hurt us?”
The Scripture passage for today cites several responses that often accompany the hurts we encounter: anger (verse 26), bitterness, wrath, malice (verse 31). When we identify these things in our hearts we are challenged to remove or put away these things. In place of these responses we’re called to forgive.
Forgiveness is the way God relates to us. Forgiveness is the way God encourages us to relate to each other. Forgiveness means we treat the people in the future as if they haven’t hurt us in the past. Forgiveness involves refusing to relate to people out of anger and bitterness. Forgiveness means extend grace to the people who hurt us.
Have you harbored anger, bitterness, wrath, or malice toward someone in your church? Take time today to confess your sinful response to that person. Seek God’s grace to forgive that person.
PRAYER
Ask God to identify the presence of unforgiveness in your heart. Confess the sin of unforgiveness. Ask God to produce in your life a humility that honors Him.
