There’s been something for everyone in the messages we’ve heard during our current sermon series, All in the Family. Even though each message has been outlined for a particular audience, our roles in life are always changing. I’ve found it interesting and beneficial to hear what our pastors believe are the invitations for all of the family roles we’ve heard about.
Reflecting on the messages we’ve heard, I believe God extends yet another invitation for all of the brothers and sisters—all of us who are part of God’s spiritual family. The invitation I’m hearing from God is to embrace forgiveness. Jesus spent a lot of time teaching and modeling forgiveness; we should take note! As we seek forgiveness for our sins against God, we can also strive to forgive the sins others commit against us.
Have you noticed that when Jesus healed people, he repeatedly sent them off with a promise that their sins had been forgiven? In fact, this was a big point of criticism that the teachers of religious law had about Jesus. In Mark 2, we learn that the teachers believed only God could forgive sins after Jesus healed a paralyzed man whose friends presented him to Jesus through a hole they dug in the roof. In that story, Jesus used the impromptu healing as proof that he was not blaspheming God by forgiving the sins of others.
When Jesus taught the Lord’s prayer, he makes it clear that we have authority to forgive the sins of others. Based on the way he teaches that prayer, it seems that God’s forgiveness for us may be tied to our willingness and ability to forgive others. “...forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” Matthew 6:12 Jesus, and ultimately God, desires that we make the effort to embrace forgiveness in our hearts.
Why is our willingness to forgive others so important to Jesus? We hear often at Grace Church that God designed us to thrive in community. Isolation is one of the six broken places of the world that we pray God will work through us to repair. When we are unwilling to embrace forgiveness, relationships are put at risk, and the likelihood of isolation is made greater. When we embrace forgiveness, hearts can be changed, relationships can be rescued, and community can be strengthened.
Think about how it works with God. Why is sin such a problem? It’s because sin separates us from God—another one of the broken places. Could this be why Jesus told the people he healed that their sins had been forgiven? He wanted them to know that they could go back to their loving Father in strengthened relationship. The teachers of religious law had led suffering people to believe God was punishing them for their sins with whatever conditions caused the need for healing. Jesus knew that God’s forgiveness was truly what his patients needed to heal their hearts and restore their relationships with God.
With all of that said, forgiveness can still be challenging to embrace. We all know the pain that results from the betrayals and wrongdoings of others. Depending on the nature of the infraction, some offenses may seem nearly impossible to forgive. I’ve said before that I believe God doesn’t place an expectation on us to reconcile with evil—only that he expects us to understand that good, imagebearing people can make horrific choices under the influence of evil.
Perhaps we should think of extending forgiveness as the act of canceling a debt with the trust that God will one day reconcile the entire ledger for us. As Pastor Amy said in her message last weekend, forgiveness is not continuing to punish someone for the way they’ve wronged you. God’s heart breaks for our pain. Our forgiveness of others is our invitation for God to reconcile the wrongs when we struggle to do it on our own. Forgiveness is an act of trusting God.
If you are struggling to embrace forgiveness or trust in God, will you allow our Prayer Team to call out to our loving Father on your behalf? Submit your prayer request here. Providing prayer is one way our community supports each other, and we believe prayer has the power to transform lives, offer hope, and cultivate spiritual growth.