Good day dear friends.
We continue our study on forgiveness. Here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Read Colossians 3:5-13. This is Paul’s understanding of what makes up the right relationship between the believer. Use Paul’s list as a checklist for your own life. Does the list seem possible or impossible? Are you answering that from a faith perspective? Or is your faith not yet sufficient enough to be a forgiving person?
Here is that text: Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things--anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive {Or [filthy]} language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scyth'ian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! 12 As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Christ has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Just yesterday a church member was sharing how my sermon on Sunday had allowed her to forgive her now deceased mother for a lifetime of neglect and no affection. I know it was very difficult for her to forgive a woman who never said she loved or was proud of her daughter or who never showed up for any of her daughter's graduations. But now this remarkable woman is free to enjoy the life Christ meant for us when he said we must forgive. You see, too many times we forget that when someone does something against us, they've placed the burden on us. Often the other person goes on with her/his life not even bothered with what they may have done against us. We're the ones who have been burdened with a heavy weight to bear. Sunday, my secretary and her son made the props for my sermon which were two ball and chains (afterwards a couple of church members said they had the real thing at home!). The illustration is that when we don't forgive, the ball and chain stays on our ankles and we are not free to enjoy life or to move on with our life. We are shackled to an ever growing and ever increasing weight of this restrictive device. Forgiveness is that key that unlocks the ball and chain from our spirits, emotions, and bodies.
The above passage speaks of what can be ours in a joyful Christian life: "compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." (v. 12). And once we have these indwelling in us we can "Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Christ has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." (v. 13)
The choice is ours. Do we want to live a stressed out life ruled by restrictions imposed by someone else? Or do we have to enjoy the freedom that is ours through Jesus Christ? Jesus said He had come to bring us life in abundance (Jn. 10:10) and it's ours for the taking.
PRAYER: Come, God of abundance and bless me today. Set in my heart the wisdom and courage to break free from all that is weighing me down. I pray in the name of He who sets us free, Jesus the Christ, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
