Mensa Otabil - Faith to Forgive
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Luke 17:4-5: «And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent, ' you shall forgive him.» And the apostles said to the Lord, «Increase our faith.» It’s interesting that when the apostles of Jesus Christ asked for increased faith, they were not looking for faith to cast out demons or to move mountains; they were seeking increased faith to forgive. Today, I’m discussing the faith to forgive.
The apostles observed the wonderful miracles of Jesus; they saw Him do many amazing things and were impressed, but this statement from Jesus seemed to top it all for them. It appeared bigger than everything they had witnessed. Jesus taught that if someone offends you and continually repents, you have to forgive them. In their minds, this was an impossible thought. How do you keep forgiving people over and over again? So, they said, «Lord, increase our faith.»
Now, when Jesus told His disciples to forgive, who was going to be the beneficiary? Was it the person who had offended them or the disciples who were doing the forgiving? In essence, forgiveness benefits the one who forgives far more than the person who has offended. Unforgiveness can become a significant hindrance, which is why Jesus says no matter how many times they offend you, you have to forgive. It is in your own interest to forgive so that the root of bitterness does not poison you, that your relationship with God remains clear, and that your mind is clear in all that you do.
One of the disciplines that every Christian must develop, as difficult as it was for the disciples and as challenging as it is for us, is to learn to forgive. Will it be easy? No way! If it were easy, the disciples would not have said, «Increase our faith.» But it is necessary for your own good to forgive, to step away from bitterness, anger, frustration, and hatred, and to stop focusing on harming others. If you cling to these feelings, all your energies, skills, and creativity will go into punishing people instead of making a better life for yourself. This is why forgiveness gives you peace of mind; it gives me peace of mind. It is hard, but it is possible, and we must do it.
So, have you been hurt? Is there someone in your life who constantly bothers you, harasses you, or always steps on your toes? Do they ask for forgiveness? If they do, forgive them. If they do not ask for forgiveness, you still need to learn to move past that. Forgiveness is our way of moving beyond others' actions; it is how we jump ahead. It allows us to focus on the bigger picture of our lives.
If someone is hurting you, if someone is bothering you all the time, or if someone is creating turmoil in your life, you must get over it. The way to get over it is forgiveness. It doesn’t mean that by forgiving someone, you are unaware of the harm they are causing or the damage being done. You need to be aware, but for your own interest, you must get beyond it. Our lives must not be controlled by hatred, pain, hurt, or bitterness, and the way to achieve that is to learn to forgive for your own peace of mind and sanity.
You must forgive and move on with your life, move on with God’s purpose for your life, and move on with the assignment God has for you. Each day, strive to make your life better as you step beyond the hurt that others cause you.
Let’s pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, take vengeance out of my heart. Give me the strength to forgive those who offend me. In Jesus' name, amen and amen. It’s a tough one, but we have to do it. I’ll catch you again tomorrow, Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.