A Forgiving Heart

But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings. Mark 11:26

Jesus taught us to pray," Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." God is a God of mercy, but this issue of forgiveness is very important to Him. In His Word He tells us repeatedly that if we want mercy, we have to give mercy. We are willing to keep taking forgiveness from God, but it is amazing how little we want to give forgiveness to others.

In Matt 18:23-35, Jesus told a story about a servant who owed a tremendous amount of money to his master as was forgiven for it. But then the servant went out and began to choke another servant who owed him only a small sum of money, threatening to have him thrown in prison if he didn't pay up immediately.

When the master heard about this he said to him, How dare you leave my presence after receiving my forgiveness for such a huge amount and go directly out and be unforgiving with someone else for such a small amount!"

We hurt ourselves much more than we hurt anyone else because when we harbor bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness toward a person we are miserable. At the end of that story, Jesus warned His audience, "So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offences."

If you want to be used by God in ministry, you must learn to be forgiving.