March 25, 2009 Web Version

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:13

Forgiving someone who has hurt us is one of the hardest things we can do. We'd rather stay leashed up to the resentment like a dog to a fence. Because in our minds, our unforgiveness is paying them back for the pain they caused. But when you refuse to release the leash of unforgiveness and drag that anger through life, you only end up hurting yourself.

It is natural for us to hold on to our wrath because of our sinful nature. The last thing we want to do is forgive.

But that's just what the Bible tells us to do. We're to forgive others as the Lord has forgiven us. When Christ died on the cross for our sins, he was giving us the ultimate forgiveness. He was saying, "My love for you outweighs any wrong thing you have ever done or ever will do to me."

If we're honest with ourselves, we'll realize that we don't have what it takes to truly forgive someone of the wrong they have done to us. That type of power only comes from God. We must learn to open our hearts and allow God to replace our anger with his love. Let God's love transform your heart. Because it is the only way that we can truly forgive someone.

» Visit EdYoung.com