“…bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Colossians 3:13

One of the things that I remind myself all the time is that the Kingdom of God is built much more by plow horses than race horses. Race horses may be faster for a short distance, but plow horses can grind it out all day. So often, in moments of excitement, I can make commitments and run hard after them for a little while…like a race horse. However, as the emotions fade, so does my passion and resolve. Most of the enduring change that I have experienced in the Christian life has come slow and steady, from small decisions that build on each other over the course of weeks, months and years…like a plow horse. No doubt, I may be inspired in a moment and come out fast, but it is the commitment over the long haul that really makes the difference.

Let there be no doubt, forgiveness requires a plow horse!! You may be convicted to forgive someone, and in a moment of spiritual passion make that commitment. But if you aren’t prepared to make that commitment over and over again for as long as it takes, your walk in forgiveness may be fast at first, but it will be short lived. The reason being, forgiveness is not a one-time event as much as it is a commitment to a life-style. If you are truly going to forgive someone, you are going to have to face the negative emotions over and over again for (possibly) an extended period of time. We should make the decision to forgive now…but do so recognizing that will have to make that same decision over and over again. It will, no doubt, get easier over time. However, it will take time. That is especially true if the offense is particularly grievous.

So I would encourage you to commit to the process. Declare before God that you are choosing to agree with the grace He has given you, and release the offender from their debt to you. The good news is that God is not only convicting you to do this, He is also empowering you to do this. You can do it right now, without delay. But please know, you will likely have to re-commit many times over. In fact, you will have to choose to walk in forgiveness every time the temptation comes to do otherwise.

As a passing thought, many times when people commit to forgiveness they feel this need to announce it to the person they are forgiving. I have had the impulse myself. To walk up to someone and say something like: “I forgive you for the dirty, rotten, debased, wicked, depraved thing you did to me”. This is actually very counterproductive to the ultimate goal of forgiveness, which is reconciliation. I think we do this, often unconsciously, to solicit an apology. The fact is, that your decision has little, if anything, to do with how the other person responds or if they even know. Therefore, they don’t need to be informed. Your commitment to forgive is first and foremost an issue between you and the God who has forgiven you.

So, I do pray that you make a commitment to the process, if you haven’t already. Walking in forgiveness is a freeing experience that Christ has afforded to us by grace. I pray that you experience the fullness of it!

Blessings,

Pastor Brian