Forgiveness Is Hard to Do
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, help me to listen to the Holy Spirit as I deal with my resentment toward others. Amen.
“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.’” Luke 17:3b-4 NIV
REFLECT:
I know of a senior pastor whose congregation’s attendance had stagnated and started going down. The elders discovered that he had been counseling a woman and developed an inappropriate (non-physical) relationship with her. The elders confronted him with what they had learned. Through much discussion with him, Scripture study, and prayer, they agreed to allow him to stay on as pastor if he would agree to counseling for both his wife and him. They also asked him to go before the congregation, confess his transgression, and ask their forgiveness.
The congregation was willing to forgive him for his mistake. They supported him throughout the healing process for both the pastor and the congregation. Once the sin situation was rectified the church concentrated on studying the Word and ministry. As a result, the church today is a very healthy mega church with many successful ministries reaching the world for Christ. This church truly demonstrated Luke 17:3b-4 and Matthew 18:15-17.
APPLY:
The process for forgiving a Christian brother or sister is laid out in Matthew 18:15-17, “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.”
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord help me trust in you with all my heart; and to not lean on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5) as I deal with my anger toward others. Teach me your example of forgiveness. Amen.