Anyone who has ever been in any sort of relationship knows that forgiveness is essential to the health of a relationship.
I've noticed there are two things that keep us from forgiving others.
First, we don't know how to forgive.
Second, we don't want to forgive.
I can help you if you don't know how to forgive. It's not easy, but it is a pretty simple process of canceling the debt that someone owes you.
If you just don't want to forgive, well, I can't help you.
But I will remind you of a few things Scripture says to those of us who are Christians about forgiveness.
We are commanded to forgive. Colossians 3:13 says: 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Meaning, if you refuse to forgive you are being disobedient.
Jesus warns us about not wanting to forgive in Matthew 6: 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Maybe that will motivate you to develop the habit of forgiveness. It sure motivates me.
One more thing: Refusing to forgive ends up hurting the one who refuses to forgive more than it hurts anybody else. Why would you do that to yourself?
May God grant you favor as you develop the habit of forgiveness.
One of the burdens I've been feeling lately has to do getting every person at Hub City serving somehow, somewhere for the Kingdom. This could mean serving on Sunday as a part of our worship gathering. We have all kinds of serving opportunities. It could also mean serving somewhere outside of the Sunday morning gathering. There are more ways to serve than on Sundays.
There are a few reasons this is so important to me.
Reason #1: We are a body. Paul tells us we are the body of Christ. And for a body to be effective in being the body that God created it to be, each part must be doing its part. When there are parts that aren't doing their part the body is hindered and handicapped.
Reason #2: We, as Christians, should be modeling Jesus, who did not come to be served, but who came to serve.
Reason #3: Each of us have gifts and talents that God has given us that are to be used to build his Kingdom. And I think these gifts have a "use it or lose it" thing.
I was reminded of an illustration that illustrates the "use it or lose it" idea. It has to do with the difference between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Galilee is a lake full of life because it takes in water but also gives it out. In contrast, nothing lives in the Dead Sea because, with no outflow, the lake has stagnated.
We give life and are full of life when we use the gifts that God has given us. When we don't we sort of stagnate.
So here's the question: When and where and how are you serving, using the gifts that God has given you?
I want to help you find the best place for you to serve. Talk with me. Let's be a fully functional body turning the world upside down.
