Good Morning
All,
Colossians
3:13; “bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving
each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
It is always somewhat humorous to read an article or a study that “supports”
the truths of the Bible. In a study in
the “Journal of Behavioral Medicine” people who forgive others, and do so
unconditionally, tend to live longer and healthier lives than people who do
not. They listed many different that
forgiving others is healthy for you.
When we forgive others, our stress level is lower. We can sleep better. We are not in the angry mode which produces a
chemical imbalance in our bodies. It
helps your heart. It strengthens your
immune system. It strengthens your
healthy relationships.
Probably the greatest physical benefit is the reduction of stress. Stress, when it occurs over a long term
period can damage your mental health and can lead to ulcers and other physical
problems. One of the strong ones is the
lack of good quality sleep. Sleep
deprivation is a huge damaging condition.
Stress leads to many immune and cardio problems. Not forgiving leads to stress and stress is
not healthy.
God has shown us, given us and guaranteed us a better way. He teaches us that forgiveness is the best
way. He shows us that to forgive is the
healthier choice. It is healthier in
that forgiving others gives you peace.
In part because it puts you in charge of how you react to others. When you forgive you no longer keep score in
your head and heart. You do not have to
remember who you are upset with and why.
You are not calculating how to even the score. You can let the pain of the sin leave you and
you can be filled with God’s peace.
It may be difficult at times, forgiving a spouse or other family member
may require more time than the stranger at Walmart. Yet God encourages to take the time and to make
the effort to forgive as we are forgiven.
We may have to go to God in prayer often asking for the strength to
forgive; but forgiveness is necessary. Forgiveness frees us from the slavery of
sin. Slavery to both being the sinner
and being the one who retains the sin and thus carries the pain. Strive to forgive. Make that your top goal in life; to forgive those
sins which are committed against you. By
forgiving, you engender a more peaceful life, a life in which you are more
content. It will make your relationships
stronger and help to build community with the people that you deal with on a
daily basis. Strive to forgive as God
forgives you. It will be difficult
because God is perfect and we are not but we must daily strive to forgive.
Father
of all forgiveness, empower me to forgive.
Strengthen me that I might rise above this world’s temptation to retain
sins. Give me the peace to forgive and
the peace that I receive because I forgive.
Be with those who are especially burdened by the struggle to forgive. Give
them the wisdom to forgive and to be relieved of the pain that results from holding
onto sins. Lead your Church to show the example of your
forgiving grace. In the precious name of
Jesus, our Risen Savior we pray, amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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