Today’s Reading:
Micah 7:18-20
“Who is a God like You, who forgives wickedness And passes by the rebellious acts of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He [constantly] delights in mercy and lovingkindness. 19 He shall again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our wickedness [destroying sin’s power]. Yes, You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. [Ps103:12]. 20 You shall give truth to Jacob and lovingkindness and mercy to Abraham, As You have sworn to our forefathers From the days of old.” [Luke 1:54-55].
(Micah 7:18-20 AMPV)
Have you ever experienced hard time forgiving people? I would always say I have forgiven people, but any time the issues comes up on my mind I feel very hurt. I would forgive but would not associate with such person. This is not the solution to the issue of forgiveness. The Bible tells us that as much as possible, we should be at peace with all men (Rom. 12:18). Again, that we should continually pursue peace with all men and holiness, without which no man can see God (Heb. 12:14). I cannot pursue peace while hurting. This is not the way out of hurting situations. By this step, if care is not taken, that event would cause resentment and then it would become a stronghold that the enemy would build upon and have access into one’s life and body.
Today’s reading is the depth of God’s love for Israel and also for us. For while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). Also, when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, they sinned against God. God punished them and covered their nakedness (Gen. 3:21). This is an example of forgiveness with compassion. In the case of Israel, because of His compassion and lovingkindness for them, God showered Israel with covenantal love, overlooking her shame (Eze. 16:8). In the same vein, we are just as rebellious, hopeless and helpless like the people of Israel were. But God loves us and provides a way out for us. He passes over the stench of our sins with open arms, waiting to receive us. Even when the Israelites were neck-deep in idolatry, God kept His word to bless Abraham and his descendants. It is God’s loyalty and steadfast love that made John to exclaim, “See our Father how very much He loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we (really) are.” (1John 3:1).
For any sinner that repents, the angels are rejoicing above. Also, God is looking for who will stand in the gap for his people so that they would not be destroyed in his wrath. Forgiving with compassion does not mean that one is condoning the wickedness, or the evil the person has done. Remember that as children of God, we have been empowered with authority and dominion to pull down evil strongholds. But our weapons of warfare are not carnal but mighty in the strength of God to deal with the evil of wickedness. We are to intercede for the deliverance, healing and salvation of the person that has offended. When he is delivered from the evil powers dominating and controlling the person and he or she will realise the evil he has done, repent and ask for forgiveness. By this one is populating the kingdom of God. A true story of a young student named Johnson was told whom his friend hated him because he was a Christian. They hated him so much that one night, they beat him to stupor in a lonely place where no one could rescue him. They left him, thinking he was dead. But God sent help to him who took him to the hospital. The injury he sustained warranted him being flown abroad for treatment. There he was able to finish his studies and became a successful man. But all along, Johnson said he kept praying for his friend who organised the beating. Back home the others graduated and became successful too. Then after many years they met at an international conference, Johnson recognised his friend, but he did not recognise him. Along the line, this friend got converted to Christianity. Johnson approached the friend and introduced himself to him. You can imagine what happened after. Job forgiving his friends and praying for them was one of the prerequisites for his recovery (Job 2:11-13; 42:10).
When you find it hard to forgive, focus on God’s forgiveness and remember His mercies and loving kindness towards you (vv. 18-20). What I do now is to start praying for any one that offends me as the Holy Spirit would direct me. Ask God to heal your spiritual and physical wounds and of the person that offended you. Ask God to break every unbroken area of your life. Ask God to give you a large heart, that can take insults. By this you may not easily forget the event that led to the hurt, but then God would sooth the pains and heal the wounds, and with time God will fill your heart with his joy, that when you talk about the event, you will no longer feel any pain. Occasions that I had to counsel different people on the area of forgiveness on different matters, at different times, any time I mentioned to the counsel that he or she would have to start praying for the spouse or the person that had offended them I had witnessed occasions where men and women would burst out weeping profusely because of the hurt they suffered. The cure for unforgiveness is to ask God to help , swallow your pride and ego and begin to pray for the one who had offended you.
Remember, we are able to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
Prayer:
Father, thank you that you do not retain your anger forever, because of Your constant mercy and loving-kindness, in Jesus’ name.
I thank you Father for producing spiritual gifts upon my life, in Jesus’ name.
Father, let my blindness expire now, in Jesus’ name.
Every foundation God has not laid in my life, and family, scatter by fire, in Jesus’ name.
Father, uproot everything you have not planted in Your church, revive your Pentecostal fire, in Jesus’ name.
Our Father and our God, use the situation in our nations, to populate Your Kingdom, to the glory of Your holy name, in Jesus’ name.
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