“THINKABOUTIT” THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Tuesday; December 11, 2007

 

          One of the most troubling quotes of Jesus is, “… if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”  (Matthew 6:14-15).  Religiously, this sounds good; but, when it comes to practically applying this passage, it can be scary!

          Often when we think of forgiveness, the phrase “just get over it” comes to mind; but, what happens when forgiveness doesn’t come that quickly?  If we are looking for a formula that promotes forgiveness it might be summed up as:  first,  identifying what the person did to offend us; then, personally coming to grips with the issue in our lives while openly addressing it with the one who offended us and, then, finally, letting go of what irritates us about the action. 

          Climbing the hill of forgiveness can be a tall task; but, it’s a lot easier than having to climb out of where we’ll end up if we venture onto the slippery slope of holding grudges.

          Think about it!  For the Madison Avenue Church of Christ; this is Charlie Wharton.