MATTHEW 18:21–22
Lord, why do I have such a hard time being nice to my brother? I am always mean and bossy and grouchy. He just gets on my last nerve and I can’t seem to control myself. It’s like he can do whatever he wants and then afterwards just apologize and everything is okay. I don’t know how to hold my tongue around him. I want to show him how much I love him, but it’s so hard. Although, I guess that’s kind of how we are with You. We hurt You and are mean to You, we curse You and ignore You, we tell lies about You and could care less about what it does to You, and then after all of it, we just apologize. Then we go and do something else and just come back and apologize to you afterwards, thinking that everything’s okay. Well, we’re lucky enough to have a God who does forgive us every time and who lovingly takes us back even when we don’t deserve it (like how I think my brother doesn’t deserve my forgiveness). Please help me to forgive him and love him the way that You forgive and love us. I really want to please You, and I really want You to be glorified in me.
Holly Scott, 18, North Buncombe High School, Weaverville, NC
Lord, help me to show others the grace and
forgiveness that You give to me every day.