Words from the Rock
In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.
Matthew 6:14–15 Message
Jesus is making an important point in these two short verses. He wants us to grasp a vital concept—so vital that it’s even included in the Lord’s Prayer. And yet it’s a principle that many Christians struggle to accept.
Jesus puts it right out there, pulling no punches—he states that we can’t be forgiven by God if we refuse to forgive others. Period. Simple, right? And yet that might be one of the most misunderstood concepts in Christian living. Does the verse mean that God will take away our forgiveness, that he’ll undo what Jesus did on the cross, if we don’t forgive someone who really, really hurt us? That seems a little harsh, maybe even unfair. Why would a loving, merciful God do that?
But that’s where we need to back up. Because it’s not God who does that—it’s us. When we refuse to forgive someone (no matter how badly we’ve been hurt), we immediately begin constructing a wall between us and God. And the longer we hang on to our bitterness, the bigger this wall becomes. It’s like we add on another stone as each day passes. And finally, the wall is so huge that there is no getting beyond it. But was that wall God’s fault? No, of course not. He didn’t build it. All he asks is that we imitate him by forgiving others, whether they deserve it or not. And then—with God’s help—that wall comes down.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Help me to wrap my head around this. You want me to forgive others so I don’t start building a wall that will separate me from you. I don’t want to lose out on your forgiveness. I will choose to forgive others as you forgave me.
Amen.
Final Word
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 NIV
Stone for the Journey
I will forgive others just as God has forgiven me—completely.