In the footsteps of the One who forgives

"To one another, be kind, compassionate, forgiving one another, as God also in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4. 32

"Jesus said : Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Luke 23. 34

Who has more pain than the Lord Jesus felt the injustices when he was on the earth ? Yet he did not incite any criticism : his words, even when he castigated the enemies of God, were sometimes severe (especially towards the hypocrites) but always just, and goodness inspired all his actions, without interfering, as it is too often the case for us, some personal interest.

These notorious injustices did not cause him any threat to those who took advantage of his apparent weakness to attack him and try to bring him down. The only thing that counted for him was the approval of God, of which he had made himself the servant : "he who just judges" (1 Pet. 2. 23). Not only did he not outrage or threaten, but no rancor or resentment was born in him, as his prayer on the cross shows when he suffered the worst of injustice.

Do we know, when we have been unjustly treated or questioned, to acknowledge before God the resentment, resentment, or even hatred that may have invaded us ? These feelings are an offense to God and hinder the action of the Holy Spirit in us : how can we pray for the one who has wronged us if we have not entirely stopped accusing him ? And how can we forgive him completely if we are not sure that God has first forgiven us completely ?

It is only when we have answered these two questions that we can enter into Peter's exhortation : "On the contrary, bless, because you have been called to this : to inherit the blessing" (1 Pet. 3. 9) . The blessing pronounced then opens the action of the Holy Spirit to manifest the fruit of it in us. Is not that what we were looking for since yesterday ?

I can then, with freedom and love, present the gospel of forgiveness offered by God to an unbeliever who has unfairly behaved towards me.

When there is a dispute or even an argument between brothers and sisters in Christ, the reality of forgiveness bestowed by the offended is the essential gateway to the return of communion between those who come from face. Do I still hold the door open ?

Source (Pleasing the Lord)