The Danger of Unforgiveness

Unforgiveness will hurt, but I ever give it much thought. Someone may hurt me in some way that causes me to become angry with them. In turn this anger, if not resolved, leads to bitterness (and it has). That bitterness leads to unforgiveness. Unforgivenesss leads to a "broken relationship", not only with the person we are bitter towards, but with God also!

I have found that I am distancing myself away from God when I harbour bitterness with others.

Unforgiveness is a sin:

Jesus said to His disciple in Matthew 21-22 when His disciple asked Him how many times we should forgive someone.

Jesus gave an easy answer: 77 times!

Did He mean literally 77 times.... No! Jesus is saying that we should forgive people every time, an infinite amount of times.

I have really struggled with this answer because I have a lot of bitterness towards some people. I hold grudges quickly against others and if someone has wronged me in a way that I don’t see fit – I again, go into ‘BLOCK THEM OUT’ mode.

I get this idea that I don’t need them in my life….

Isn't this really silly?

If I maintain this thought or grudge-keeping, I will really end up with no-one in my life. Every single person wrongs others, it doesn’t matter how ‘christian’ they are or may seem. We are sinners, we do sinful things all the time. One of them is that we say things to others and out of turn, sometimes not even meant, but the tongue is a powerful machine and causes a lot of damage very quickly (and its irreversible).

God didn’t make us like this.

I feel very hypocritical saying this, because I am very bad holding grudges, but I get out my thoughts by writing and I bring up things that I do in my life which make me think, but here's a thought:

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

Holding grudges against others surely will keep those people away from you as they feel that they can never be right or feel that they are never doing anything right around you – so they stay away. I know this, because I am experiencing it right now!

The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its joy.

If I do not forgive others for what they have done to me, how can I expect God to forgive me for what I have done to them. Its crazy and very selfish!

Its very difficult especially when I feel I have been really hurt by something, but then the question is “Did I deserve forgiveness from God when He suffered on the cross for me?”

Jesus forgave us because He loves us, and that’s all I need to have to know. If I love someone, whether it’s a family member, friend, partner or domestic worker….I should love them and forgive them every time!

I have to get over the hurts I have got ‘buried’ in my heart from ages ago and I have to forgive people, not hold grudges! It doesn’t mean I cant be angry with them, but I cant stay angry with them and hold that grudge (which I do so easily).

The question is not whether God will help us forgive them, but whether we will allow Him to help us forgive them! When We forgive others, it lifts a huge buried burden from our shoulders, it restores a relationship and it allows us to do Gods work 100%!

Amen to that and may you be blessed