Learning how to forgive | The Old Path

Learning how to forgive | The Old Path

Bible references: Matthew 6:14–15, Matthew 5:7, Ecclesiastes 7:20

If there is one certainty of life, it is that we are most likely to be offended by people. This is an undisputed fact. There's no exceptions to who me may be offended by. It's beyond just people we are not in good terms with. Even our friends could offend us at anytime that we may not even expect. Offenses come in different forms and from different people.

As humans that we are, it is very natural for us to get angry and react when we are been offended by someone. There are people that we have been hurt by for no justifiable reason. And the worst part is that sometimes they don't even care about the impact of what they're actions have done has to you.

We are right to feel angry when faced with such situations. The human instinct is programmed in such a way to want to retaliate whenever someone hurts us, either physically or emotionally. If we are observant, even the calmest of animals tend to react when we hurt them. It may interest us to know that some animals that are capable of causing harm only do so when we threaten them or strike them first.

That's how some people can push us to bringing up a different version of our selves. Certain reactions to certain actions of people who offend us are not actually intentional. Some people push us to the wall, and when this is done we find ourselves with the urge and desire to retaliate. All these are natural attributes of the flesh.

But as Christians, our reactions to offenses caused by people is to forgive.

Matthew 6:14–15
14 - For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 - But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

They may be at fault in all ramifications and it may look like the best line of action is to take out revenge on them, but God has expects us to act differently. He wants us to show them mercy. We should learn to temper justice with mercy

Matthew 5:7 - Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

For us to receive mercy from God when need to be merciful in nature. We also are offenders to God. Some of the offenses with have committed against God are even weightier than what some people have done to us. There's no man on earth doesn't commit sin. We are all in need of the mercy of God.

If we desire to be shown mercy by God and be forgiven, we should be willing to show mercy to others and have a forgiving heart towards them.