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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