Well, following my last two posts, I've had a real challenge on my hands today (I'm writing this on Friday evening). I've battled to keep my anger down when I was on the receiving end of two emails that I really do not feel I deserved, at the same time as trying to remember my post from yesterday! Forgiveness has been very hard to come by ... and although I've SAID to God that I forgive the people involved, I'm still feeling rather tense and unsettled about the whole situation.
As my comment to the previous post says, I KNOW in my head that forgiving is far better than seeing revenge, but trying to get that knowledge down to the heart is a real battle. And it isn't made easier by the following, which I read today:
Don't seek retribution. Instead, '...overcome evil with good' (Romans 12:21). God said, '...Vengeance is mine; I will repay' (Romans 12:19). Don't rush to judgement.
That's not always easy when you're the injured party, but the ultimate Judge said, 'With what judgement you judge, you will be judged...' (Matthew 5:24 NKJV). Make things right. Jesus said, '...be reconciled to your brother...' (Matthew 5:24 NIV). Don't wait for the other person to make the first move, you do it. Paul says, 'Make every effort to live in peace with all men...' (Hebrews 12:14 NIV). Pray for the offender. As much as it goes against your grain, when you '...pray for those who mistreat you' (Luke 6:28 NIV), God gives you the grace to forgive and see them through His eyes.
(taken from 'The Word for Today').
This is still a challenge for me as I write, but I am, thankfully, getting calmer as the hours go by, and more charitable - more willing to make allowances for things that were said.
