Threshing Floor Tabernacle

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Mk 11:25 KJV

According to Wikipedia,“Forgiveness is the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, lets go of negative emotions such as vengefulness, with an increased ability to wish the offender well.  In certain contexts, forgiveness is a legal term for absolving or giving up all claims on account of debt, loan, obligation or other claims.”

“Studies show that people who forgive are happier and healthier than those who hold resentments….when people think about forgiving an offender it leads to improved functioning in their cardiovascular and nervous systems….the more forgiving people were, the less they suffered from a wide range of illnesses. The less forgiving people reported a greater number of health problems. Forgiveness is not only powerful, but also excellent for your health.”

When Jesus commands us to forgive, it’s not the offender He’s trying to protect – it’s you the offended. By forgiving your offender, you are forgiven of your own transgressions. Remember, ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). It’s not that the Father will go into your past to dig up old transgressions that you’ve already repented of - Unforgiveness itself is sin in the eyesight of God! It violates the command to forgive.

Look at the woman who came to Jesus to anoint Him for burial at Simon the leper’s house. Jesus said, “her sins, which are many, are forgiven” (Lk 7:47). When the prodigal son “came to his senses”, he repented and the Father forgave him (see Luke 15). He had taken his Father’s blessings and abused them with selfish living. Society as a whole and many in the Church has abused the blessings of life, freedom, and true happiness granted by our Heavenly Father. In order to correct this we have to come to our senses and repent of the errors of our ways and forgive those who have offended us. Can you imagine the woman or the prodigal, after having been forgiven of their sins, then take on the attitude of the wicked servant of Matthew 18:32 and be unforgiving to those who had wrong them?

Forgiveness is the constant flow of healing balm for the individual and the Body of Christ. What are you holding on to that you need to forgive someone of? Are you willing, for your own good, to release and forgive that individual (s)? Or are you willing to be stressed out, angry and bitter while tied/bound to the offense?  Forgive and be made whole.

“forgive, and ye shall be forgiven”  Lk 6:37 KJV