It’s okay!
Reading: Matthew 18:21-35
“This is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless
you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Mt 18:35)
What is this ‘treatment’ Jesus is talking about? Torture by jailors! God forbid that any of us be treated so. “She must ... be reconciled ... God has called us to live in peace” (1 Cor 7:11,15). The Bible says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom 12:18). The key to peaceful living is forgiveness. Unless we are extremely forgiving people, it is next to impossible to be at peace with all, because we constantly get hurt by parents, friends, husband or others. Is it possible to forgive our children, husband, relative or neighbours? Yes, it depends on how much we bend ourselves.
The easiest way to forgive is to meditate on how much God has forgiven us. What is required of us to forgive is just a mound when compared to the mountain God has forgiven us. Jesus taught us to rebuke anyone who sins against us and to forgive if they repent. If they keep on sinning against us again and again and again and keep on saying, ‘I’m sorry,’ ‘I’m sorry,’ ‘I’m sorry,’ what do we do? We must have faith on them that they are really struggling to overcome their sin and forgive them again and again and again.
We must have faith in God that He is dealing with our offender and helping him grow. That is why when Jesus taught His disciples to forgive repeatedly, the disciples said to the Lord, “Increase our faith” (Lk 17:5). Unforgiveness means lack of faith. The one who has strong faith in the Lord will not hesitate to forgive her offender.
It must not be just lip forgiveness but heart forgiveness. You must behave as if the offense never happened. Young girls must try to understand that parents are human, which will help them forgive. Parents should not have a grudge that their children married their own choice but be reconciled to the children. The success of family life is in the wife’s hand, I believe. The more she can forgive, the stronger will be their family foundation.
You are not given a choice. If someone feels sorry for what she has done, you should, from your heart, be able to say, “It’s okay” with a hug or handshake. You are not a loser for that, in fact you are doing yourself a great favour by forgiving someone — you enjoy heart peace and have your sins cancelled by God. So why not decide to forgive today?
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, 8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
It’s okay!
Reading: Matthew 18:21-35
“This is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless
you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Mt 18:35)
What is this ‘treatment’ Jesus is talking about? Torture by jailors! God forbid that any of us be treated so. “She must ... be reconciled ... God has called us to live in peace” (1 Cor 7:11,15). The Bible says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom 12:18). The key to peaceful living is forgiveness. Unless we are extremely forgiving people, it is next to impossible to be at peace with all, because we constantly get hurt by parents, friends, husband or others. Is it possible to forgive our children, husband, relative or neighbours? Yes, it depends on how much we bend ourselves.
The easiest way to forgive is to meditate on how much God has forgiven us. What is required of us to forgive is just a mound when compared to the mountain God has forgiven us. Jesus taught us to rebuke anyone who sins against us and to forgive if they repent. If they keep on sinning against us again and again and again and keep on saying, ‘I’m sorry,’ ‘I’m sorry,’ ‘I’m sorry,’ what do we do? We must have faith on them that they are really struggling to overcome their sin and forgive them again and again and again.
We must have faith in God that He is dealing with our offender and helping him grow. That is why when Jesus taught His disciples to forgive repeatedly, the disciples said to the Lord, “Increase our faith” (Lk 17:5). Unforgiveness means lack of faith. The one who has strong faith in the Lord will not hesitate to forgive her offender.
It must not be just lip forgiveness but heart forgiveness. You must behave as if the offense never happened. Young girls must try to understand that parents are human, which will help them forgive. Parents should not have a grudge that their children married their own choice but be reconciled to the children. The success of family life is in the wife’s hand, I believe. The more she can forgive, the stronger will be their family foundation.
You are not given a choice. If someone feels sorry for what she has done, you should, from your heart, be able to say, “It’s okay” with a hug or handshake. You are not a loser for that, in fact you are doing yourself a great favour by forgiving someone — you enjoy heart peace and have your sins cancelled by God. So why not decide to forgive today?
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, Mob:8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
