“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” -Matthew 6:14-15
I was listening to Josh Howerton a preacher from lake point church the other night and he said a truth that hit me hard. He said when we don’t forgive we pull hell up into our lives, and when we do we pull heaven down into it.
How many times have we hurt God and said, “Lord forgive me, I will not do it again.” And He forgives us, we hurt Him again, repent and He restores us? Too many times to even count right? Yet why is it so hard to forgive others when they have wronged us? Why do we harden our hearts and refuse to talk to people?
The Bible clearly tells us to forgive those who have heard us, those who have wronged us, those who cheated on us, even those who have wrongly accuse us or belittled us. We are to forgive as God has forgiven us. When we forgive others, God also forgives all our sins. But when we do not forgive, our heavenly Father will not forgive us.
God desires for us to be able to come to His throne of grace with forgiveness in our heart and Thanksgiving for those who have received His forgiveness. Jesus paid the penalty of our sins. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him.
There is freedom in forgiveness. There is healing in restoration.
