Coming Back to God

Forgiveness and reconciliation are essential for salvation. The Apostle Paul implores us to be reconciled so a right standing with God can be achieved. Reconciliation requires God’s forgiveness. It clears away guilt for sin committed against God that has become an obstacle to fellowship with him. Confession of sins sets the stage for reconciliation.

 

Repentance is more than feeling sorry for sins. It involves a commitment to change your attitude about sin, to see sin as evil and responsible for creating the wall that separated you from God. Because of his great love for you, the Lord is willing to help you achieve reconciliation if you desire it with all your heart.

       

In addition to forgiveness’ liberating your soul from sin, forgiveness empowers you to eternally redefine yourself in the light of God’s love and mercy. God will never let you go. He intends for you to strengthen your fellowship with him so that the righteousness of Christ Jesus in you becomes evident to others. They will desire to have what you have.  

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Everything that we have – right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start – comes from God by way of Jesus Christ.

~1 Corinthians 1:30 The Message

Become a friend with God; he’s already a friend with you. “How?” you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

~2 Corinthians 5:20-21 The Message

       

Gripped by Toxic Anger? Get Help

Forgiveness is as much a relationship issue as it is a spiritual issue. Forgiveness is not a simple, easy process requiring little effort or energy. A Gallup poll found that 80% of Americans believe they cannot forgive deeply from the heart without God's help. A Christian counselor’s primary object is to help people work toward forgiveness.

The objective of forgiveness is to free people from bitterness, even when it’s rooted in justifiable anger. In addition to freeing you from the grip of toxic anger and hostility, another objective of forgiveness is to obtain a better understanding of yourself and those who offended you. God’s objective is to give you faith which will save you from sin and death.

It's incredibly important to realize the relationship between deep-seated anger, lack of forgiveness and a person’s need for unhealthy control of situations and people. Christian counseling provides insight and tools for exposing and expressing anger within appropriate boundaries. God provides insight when we earnestly seek it.  

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At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?” Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.”

~Matthew 18:21-22 The Message

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

~Psalm 130:3-4 New International Version

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

~1 Peter 3:8-9 New American Standard Bible

Shackled to Suffering and Loneliness?

In reading the biography of Joseph from the Genesis account, we see him coping with slavery, being sentenced to indefinite imprisonment and facing a possible lifetime separation from his family. All of this came about because of his brothers’ hatred. They believed he got what was coming to him, so they cared less what he had to endure.

I'm sure Joseph resented his brothers in return for the suffering he had tolerated. Suffering is as much a part of life as is pleasure. Parents suffer seeing their children experience unhappiness regardless of its source. As adults we must learn to cope with suffering brought on by life’s uncertainties and conflicts that cannot be avoided.

Hate, anger and resentment build bridges to alienation and suffering that are capable of being prolonged indefinitely. Being unwilling to forgive shackles you to a wall of loneliness where love and affection will diminish. Joseph chose to forgive his brothers by stepping out in faith, believing God would bless him for doing so. That can be your choice.  

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Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.

~2 Corinthians 5:17 Good News Bible

But that’s not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love.

~Romans 5:3-5 Good News Bible

The Costs of Insecurity

Insecurity is one of the most difficult feelings to manage when
activating forgiveness. Insecurity produced by a personal weakness might be attributed to the inability to trust even when conditions appear safe. Another weakness is lack of impulse control, which allows for spontaneous actions before analyzing their consequences. 

The desire to please is so strong in some people, they fail to establish boundaries against being hurt in the future. An unrealistic desire to please could be based on the need to keep life predictable. Whether true forgiveness can take place under these conditions is questionable, but as conflict diminishes, hopefully life returns to a controlled normal.

Feelings of insecurity create suffering; therefore, it’s imperative to examine the source, so forgiveness can take place. While God will not force anyone to be forgiving, he paves the way to make forgiveness a viable choice. Trust God to create situations where forgiveness can move forward as he makes your forgiveness possible.  

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You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.

~Proverbs 28:13 Good News Bible

Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand, and this peace will control the way you think and feel.

~Philippians 4:4-7 Contemporary English Version 

Forgiveness, Love, Healing – Amazing!

 When you hear the word forgiveness, what comes to mind? It could be an image of uncontrolled anger being levied against you by someone who hates you. I've often thought how unlike Jesus we are – Jesus, who could look down from the cross and ask His heavenly Father to forgive those determined to kill him. 

A Catholic priest was arrested by the German SS during World War II for hiding allied soldiers. He looked his executioners in the eyes and told them he forgave them for the torture and death they were about to inflict upon him. Perhaps forgiveness is difficult because we think we must love those who have hurt us and consequently forgive them immediately.

Because true healing progresses slowly, the desire to forgive may also progress slowly. As forgiveness becomes a reality, you should be able to lay aside grudges and demands for punishment. Now spiritual healing has freedom to move forward. So “trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.” Permit God to heal you.  

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God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold, and loving, and sensible.

~2 Timothy 1:7 The Message

Now change your mind and attitude to God and turn to him so he can cleanse away your sins and send you wonderful times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord.

~Acts 3:19 The Living Bible

Want Forgiveness? Then Forgive...

 Joseph’s brothers needed to be forgiven but would not ask for it until they experienced a severe crisis. Seeking forgiveness for their own cruel behavior did not come easy because they blamed Joseph, citing his pompous attitude as justification. God used circumstances to remind them where they had sinned and failed to be forgiving.

We as individuals have ways of suppressing guilt for failing to honor God’s requirement for forgiveness. We take the easy way out by denying we’re at fault and avoiding whomever we've offended. Yet God consistently gives us opportunities to clear the air. The sad part is we undermine God's purpose and plan for us. “If someone has something against you, go make it right.”

God understands our humanness including our lack of character strengths. What God expects from us is to forgive others, which requires close self-examination of our weaknesses including the tendency to be resistant. We must be vulnerable enough to see ourselves as needing God’s mercy and then to extend that mercy to others.  

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Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

~Colossians 3:13 The Living Bible

“In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.”

~Matthew 6:14-15 The Message

Forgiveness – A Bridge Builder

Forgiveness is a bridge builder, yet forgiveness may appear so difficult that nothing could possibly heal the broken lives. Everyone who has harbored anger and bitterness knows the alienation and separation that accompany these feelings. The desire to forgive must accept being vulnerable to possible rejection.

Thank God rejection seldom happens, but it exists in those people whose objective is distance and isolation. Rejecting forgiveness may be present in those who refuse to trust and who use it as a means of wielding power over those who have caused pain. Lack of forgiveness can be as fierce as fire burning out of control.

Being unwilling to forgive can also be subtle like a simmering pot containing secret contents carefully hidden from the one who caused you pain and suffering. Fake smiles and friendly gestures may camouflage a lethal, angry attitude, yet with God’s mercy a bridge to forgiveness can be built. It's imperative to ask God to give you the desire to be forgiving.  

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Post this at all the intersections, dear friends. Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger.

~James 1:19-20 The Message

Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins.

~1 Peter 4:8 Contemporary English Version

A Mysterious Necessity – Forgiveness

 How did we ever come up with the word forgiveness and then discover what was involved in its ultimate meaning? Initially it sounds complex and hard, if not impossible, to understand. Even so, forgiveness is indisputably a link to a better frame of mind. As forgiveness is activated, cynicism and negative attitudes tend to lose their power.

Forgiveness is a powerful dynamic, yet mysterious in how it can motivate enemies to act with good will. Forgiveness cannot be forced upon someone, for it must be sought like wisdom or a pearl of great value. If forgiveness is brushed aside and rejected, the chance for reconciliation may be lost forever.

Most people realize forgiveness is a necessity for every stage of a relationship. Forgiveness must be offered with integrity and sincerity, or conflict will linger on. There must be a receptive mind and heart willing to trust enough to give reconciliation a shove toward healing. Forgiveness will dismantle the walls of fear and isolation. God will bless your investment.  

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And Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not our sins only, but also the sins of everyone.

~1 John 2:2 Good News Bible

He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.  

~Ephesians 1:7 New Living Translation

Is Forgiveness Possible?

There are those who would argue that forgiveness is too difficult and furthermore you can never again trust someone who deliberately has caused pain and suffering. Evidence indicates, however, the one who forgives lives a healthier and happier life by letting go of anger and bitterness that reside in the heart and mind. Anger turned inward creates other health issues.

TV news featured a story about a businessman who one day didn't come home from work. He abandoned his wife, three children and a promising career. Twenty years later his oldest son made a concerted effort to find his father and finally found him in another state where he wasn’t lost, but deliberately hiding.

His father had chosen to be homeless and loved living on the street void of responsibility. After hours of conversation, this young man realized who his father had become. This was when forgiveness began to take place. While anger and bitterness dissolved, sadness remained because the loss of his father was permanent. Forgiveness is a step toward healing.  

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O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.

~Psalm 86:5 New Living Translation

I want you to know, my very dear friends, that it is on account of this resurrected Jesus that the forgiveness of your sins can be promised. He accomplishes, in those who believe, everything that the Law of Moses could never make good on. But everyone who believes in this raised-up Jesus is declared good and right and whole before God.

~Acts 13:38-39 The Message

A Clean Sweep

How would you feel if someone in authority accused you of being deceitful and stealing when, in fact, you were innocent? Worse still, you knew you had no defense because your innocence could not be proven. This was the dilemma Joseph's brothers faced when they were accused of stealing from an Egyptian official who, unknown to them, was their brother Joseph.

Have you ever struggled with forgiving someone, especially a family member who was supposed to love and protect you but instead betrayed and abandoned you? Can you identify with Joseph’s struggle to seek revenge rather than to forgive his brothers who had sold him into slavery?

As Joseph stood before his brothers, he was overcome with compassion as he listened to them make their defense for Benjamin’s release from custody and explain how their father would react if he lost his youngest son. Forgiveness is necessary for healing the hurt, pain and sorrow of grief. A clean mind and spirit clear the way for a new beginning to become a reality. God delights in forgiving you and helping you achieve this objective. 

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For if you forgive others their shortcomings, your heavenly Father will forgive you, too.

~Matthew 6:14 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People

If your brother ever sins, correct him; and if he’s sorry, forgive him.

~Luke 17:3 Beck – New Testament in the Language of Today

Be gentle with one another, sensitive; forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

~Ephesians 4:32 The Message

Clear Fear from Your Conscience

Jacob was extremely troubled by the risk of losing Benjamin, whose mother had died giving birth to him. It's understandable that Jacob would be protective of Benjamin since he had been forced to come to terms with having lost Benjamin's brother Joseph some years earlier. Now Jacob was forced to trust his older sons to safeguard Benjamin as they traveled to Egypt to buy grain.

 

Arriving in Egypt, they were invited to a luncheon with Joseph, where Benjamin, Joseph’s full-brother, was the guest of honor. Once again, the money paid for the grain was put back into their bags along with Joseph’s special silver cup. Benjamin would later be accused of stealing this cup.

Seeking reconciliation is a delicate undertaking. Imagine Joseph thinking that he had one chance to unite his family, made up of the ten jealous brothers who hated him. God calls us to reconcile with whomever has wronged us. God is aware of and patient with our resistance, knowing we’re stressed out with fear and anxiety, yet he continues to push us toward reconciliation and new beginnings. Your spiritual health and clear conscience depend on it.  

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For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them.

~2 Timothy 1:7 The Living Bible

There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life – fear of death, fear of judgment – is one not yet fully formed in love.

~1 John 4:18 The Message

Forgiveness – and Other Hard Choices

          

Although Jacob was resolutely against permitting Benjamin to accompany his brothers to Egypt to buy grain, facing starvation changed his mind. Joseph had been his father’s favorite son, but Jacob believed Joseph was dead, so Benjamin was now his current favorite. Benjamin was the younger son of Rachel, the wife Jacob had adored.

Joseph warned his brothers that if they did not return to Egypt with Benjamin, they would not see his face again, meaning there would be no grain for sale. There are times when circumstances force us to trust God, because the alternative is to cringe in fear and doubt.  

A similar choice faced a man whose marriage had ended in divorce following a disastrous business adventure. He chose to face his mistakes and was determined to learn from a stunning failure. He believed most people would be compassionate and forgiving when sincere apologies were expressed. Most people do choose to forgive, for who hasn’t experienced failure. As we forgive others who have hurt us, God promises to forgive us.  

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But God’s mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great, that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience, he brought us to life with Christ. It is by God’s grace that you have been saved.

~Ephesians 2:4-5 Good News Bible

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

~Mark 11:25 New International Version 

Mountains of Fear & Doubt

          

When Jacob heard the news that Simeon, another son, might be lost forever, he was heartbroken. Listen to the grief he expressed to his older sons. "You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is dead, and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin? Everything is against me."

Joseph was not dead, however. He was a powerful governor in Egypt. His objective was to unite his family, but he could not reveal his identity. For Joseph to carry out his plan, he had accused these brothers of being spies and detained Simeon as security so that they would return with Benjamin, his younger full-brother. These older brothers were beyond being trusted.

Listen to Jacob’s anger and fear. "Benjamin will not go to Egypt. Joseph is dead, and Benjamin is the only one left. If harm comes to him, in sorrow I will go down to the grave.” Have you experienced such fear and grief? You may feel God is not working for you, yet God’s love and mercy are greater than your fears and doubts. Ask Him for patience and faith. 

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Blessed be the Lord and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father and the all-comforting God, who comforts me in every sorrow I have, so that I can comfort people who are in sorrow with the comfort with which I am comforted by God.

~2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Williams – New Testament in the Language of the People

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love. The Lord is good to everyone; His compassion rests on all He has made.

~Psalm 145:8-9 Holman Christian Standard Bible