Forgiven People are Forgiving People

I have made a tremendous amount of mistakes.  I have messed up, erred, flopped. failed, and really fallen short several times.  Now, I am not looking for pity or trying to win a contest on who has made the most mistakes, I am just saying I have made a lot of mistakes.  However, this is not the whole story.  I have been forgiven.  I have sought forgiveness for the wrongs I have done. I have said I am sorry and I have ask for forgiveness.  I have been forgiven.  God forgives me and God helps me to not continue to make the same mistakes and live as one who has been forgiven.  

It would seem that the only natural thing for forgiven people would be to be forgiving.  The old hymn says "freely you have received, freely, freely give."   We have received forgiveness, freely.  In turn we should offer forgiveness freely.  The Church, Christians, should be the most forgiving people on the planet.  Christians, you would think, if they are living as forgiven people, should be the least judgmental and most forgiving people there are.  So why is it that many people see Christians and the Church as judgmental and not as forgiving?

Jesus said, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men there sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Forgiving people are forgiven and forgiven people are forgiving people.  We are just playing church when we  ask God to forgive us yet we are unwilling to forgive others.  We just play church when we make mistakes that we try to hide and point out the mistakes of others.  We are all in the same boat.  Everyone that we lay are eyes upon God loves and forgives.  There is nothing any one has done that puts them outside of the grace and forgiveness of God.  Nothing you or I have done.  When we experience, really experience it, everything changes we find ourselves freely forgive and can't help but forgive others the wrongs they have done to us.

This being said, I also understand, and God understands that forgiveness is hard for us.  It is difficult for us. I will even say it is impossible for us to on our own.  But it is not impossible for God.  We have to give the hurt, the emotions, the situation and the circumstance to God.  We have to pray it through until God has lifted the hurt and the pain.  God will do that.  It will take as much time as it takes but be patient, keep asking God to help you to be forgiving and he will do it.  Forgiven people are forgiving people and forgiving people are forgiven.  

Don't play church.

In Christ's love and mine,

Doug