Forgiveness

I have heard it said, "We are most like Christ when we forgive".  Do you agree with that statement?  I believe that it could be true.  After all, that is what the gospel of Jesus is based upon.  

Because we live in a fallen world, we are going to get hurt.  People are going to make us angry.  But when we hold on to those angry feelings, it grows and spreads like a cancer, and it is fatal.  Spiritually fatal.  Emotionally fatal.  Mentally fatal.  Why is it that holding on to angry feelings is so enticing?  It is so much easier to "share" them with others (gossiping).  It's easy to suppress them deep within so that they seep into the core of our being, becoming the root cause of so many of our negative attitudes and actions (bitterness, resentment).  What if God had held His anger against us?  What if He never saw fit to redeem us of our fallen nature?  We would all be headed for hell, completely separated from the Giver of life.  We would have no hope of any kind of happiness, joy or peace.  But God DID see fit to do so.  

It was fitting for Him because of His Loving nature.  

The redemption was painful and ugly for Christ because of God's Just nature.  

And it is much appreciated by me because of God's Holy nature.  

He didn't have to do it.  He had created a perfect world, and He had every right to never let us have a relationship with Him.  But He chose to forgive, therefore, we must forgive as well.  If you are in a situation where you feel too weak or too angry to forgive, pray that God will give you strength, for He promises to do so.  He will put a love within you for your offender, but you have to let go of the anger.  Take the first step.  The enemy will do anything to keep you from doing that, but when you do, you will have the strength of the One who has mercifully forgiven you.