Forgiveness A Must

Matthew 6:12

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Jesus’ disciples were asking the Lord to teach them to pray as John had taught his disciples. We know that this verse comes from that teaching that we call the Model Prayer.I suppose from that very time, people have been quoting this prayer in groups and congregations as a means of public prayer. Not that it is wrong to recite this prayer, but the primary reason for giving it was not for recitation, it was intended to be an instruction for prayer. Jesus didn’t say to pray this, He said to pray after this manner, in this way. He was giving general principles by which we should pray.

One of the areas that Jesus targeted was the area of forgiveness. He knew, all too well, the importance of forgiveness. In fact He went on to say that we are to expect our forgiveness on the basis and in the same manner that we forgive others.

One of the most tormenting things in people today is unforgiveness. It is one thing that is causing as much spiritual weakness, mental stress and even physical illness as any other thing that I know of. We simply are not created with the ability to cope with unforgiveness, our body has no way of dealing with and venting that emotion. The Bible even says in Matthew 18 that when we do not forgive others as we have been forgiven, that we are turned over to the tormentors.

A lot has been written and taught about the deadly effects of this evil of unforgiveness. It has been said that not forgiving others, even if they have terribly wronged you, is like drinking poison and expecting them to die. It simply does not work that way. Unforgiveness will put you in prison, while the wrong doer goes free.

I am not saying that you haven’t been wronged or hurt, I am saying do not let it keep hurting you, cut it off, break its power over you by giving forgiveness to those who have done you wrong.