"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Ephesians 5:21
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32
How in the world can God do anything in my life, if I remain unforgiving towards someone? Whether you have deserved the wounds or not, as far as it depends on you, you are to live at peace with that person. Whether that person forgives you or not, that is not your problem. You are called to be submissive not for the person's sake but out of respect and reverence towards Christ. We are to be kind and compassionate and forgiving because God is forgiving to us.
"You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written: 'As surely as I live, says the LORD, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God." Romans 14:10-12
What a humbling verse. As a girl, when I am wronged, I replay it over and over and over again, and I want to refuse to let it go. I want to judge the person, look down on them, because they hurt me. Yet who am I to even do that? For me to judge a person in that way, is like taking the place of God. God is the only one who has the right to judge in that way, and He has given us Christ in order to free us from His judgmental wrath. Therefore, who am I to ever think of myself ever worthy to pass judgment on someone else?
For me to be unforgiving is hypocritical if I am to call myself a Christian. For me to say I am a Christian, I am saying that I accept the penalty and debt that has released me from my bondage of sin. I am accepting God's pardon, and complete forgiveness through His son's death and resurrection.
The hardest part of forgiveness and loving someone, is when they hold something against you. When the other person refuses to forgive you, I don't know about you, but for me, I feel like it chains me up. I feel like I am in bondage, not being set free but am being constantly reminded of sins or problematic circumstances that should have been let go of. It is the most hurtful and sad thing to deal with someone who won't forgive you. I've struggled with that feeling countless times and it is so painful & heartbreaking. Yet God continues to remind me and humble me in those circumstances, maybe that's why He lets it happen to me.
I hope you can take this information to heart, and to stop passing judgment on whoever it is your are judging and live at peace with everyone, not for humanity's sake, but out of reverence for Christ. After all he is our ultimate need. :-)
God bless!
In Christ,
Amber
