The Word for Today
With Bob Gass
 | Don't Keep Score Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. - Colossians 3:13 TM |
Jimmy drank too much at the party and embarrassed his wife Lisa. Next morning he felt bad and asked her to forgive him. She said she would, yet she kept bringing it up. One day, in discouragement, he said, "I thought you were going to forgive and forget." She said, "I have, I just don't want you to forget that I have forgiven and forgotten." Do you forgive like that?
Keeping score only works in competitive sports; it's disastrous in relationships. There's so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in the best of us, that we'll spend much of our lives learning to forgive and forget. And forgetting is harder when the offence is great. Small offences can be forgiven quickly; big ones require a healing process. But until you make the decision to forgive, the process can't even begin. How can you "Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you"? Paul answers, "Clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others" (Col 3:12-13 NLT). To practise this kind of forgiveness you must focus on a person's worth, not their weaknesses. You must turn your heart away from what was, to what can be.
You say, "Why should I forgive and forget?" (1) Because God's Word tells you to. (2) Because you yourself will continue to need forgiveness. (3) Because you weren't built to carry the stress that goes with resentment.
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This message from The Word for Today came from Rhema Broadcasting Group Incorporated in association with The Vine, New Zealand. "The Word for Today"® is copyright © Bob Gass Ministries.
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