Forgiveness... its tricky

 This is a devotion I read the other day that made me stop and think - so I thought I would share it with you...

Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

"In life, we all have unfair things that happen to us." Isn't that the truth!!

"We can choose to hold on to the hurt, become bitter & angry, and let it poison our future; or, we can choose to let it go and trust God to make it up to us." (I think that is easier said than done sometimes!!)

"You might not think that you are able to forgive because someone hurt you so badly."

"But realize, you don't forgive for their sake; you forgive for your own sake. When you forgive, you are taking away their power to hurt you."  (That is the part that just makes me stop & think...)

"But if you hold on to that offense and stay angry (hurt or offended), you are only poisoning your own life and disconnecting yourself from God."  (My hurt and offense disconnects me from my loving Father - that's just NOT right!!)

My mother-in-law often makes a statement to anyone listening - she says "Just because you think you have the right to be angry (or offended) - doesn't mean that you should be. Mercy is better than justice any day..."
Now, as much as that statement frustrates me when I hear it - it is a great reminder...
He had nothing in His heart but forgiveness and mercy for the people that had hurt him (even in the midst of his pain). So how can I stand as His representative and not do the same...

So me, I'm working on forgiveness today...
1 John 4:12 "No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us."