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FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER

Read Ephesians 4:25-32
“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving
one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
Ephesians 4:32 (HCSB)

One thing we all have in common is that we have all been hurt by other
people. Others have said or done things that have hurt us. Sometimes
we have been hurt by what someone failed to say or do. The issue in life
is not “will we be hurt” but “how will we respond when we are hurt by
others?”

The Scripture passage for today sites several possible responses that
often accompany the hurts we encounter: anger (verse 26), bitterness,
wrath, malice (verse 31). When we identify these things in our lives we
are challenged to “remove” or “put away” these things. In place of these
responses we are called to choose the response of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is the way God has chosen to relate to us. Forgiveness is
the way God encourages us to relate to each other. Forgiveness means
we treat the person in the future as if they had not hurt us in the past.
Forgiveness involves refusing to relate to the person out of anger and
bitterness. Forgiveness means we choose to extend grace to the person
who hurt us.

Have you harbored anger, bitterness, wrath or malice toward someone
in your church? Take time today to confess your sinful response to that
person. Choose with the help and grace of God to forgive that person.

PRAYER:
Ask God to identify the presence of unforgiveness in your
life. Confess the sin of unforgiveness. Ask God to
produce in your life a humility that honors Him.