Paul encouraged members of the church in Colossae to cloth yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. If that wasn’t hard enough, he added another layer. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
I don’t easily forgive others. My natural inclination is to hold on to an issue, rub it raw until it bleeds. I see and hear the airing of grievances all around me, the demanding of rights. But very little forgiveness.
Paul tells me to forgive as the Lord forgave me. Not a conditional forgiveness, or a forgiveness dependent on another’s action. Forgive with nothing in return. In describing the Lord’s forgiveness in the past I’ve used words like unsparing, lavish, and total. The phrase, as far as the east is from the west, always encourages me.
I’m to forgive in the same way?
That’s how the book reads. Only through leaning on the Holy Spirit living within me may I even come close. Paul’s admonition makes it clear that such deep and powerful forgiveness is possible, if I will trust the Lord to turn me away from myself.
Here’s a radical thought—maybe practicing forgiveness in this manner is the cure for so much of what ails us?
Colossians 3 in reading the Bible in 2023
Photo by Christopher Stites
Dave,
I wanted you to know that I read the devotionals you post each day and they are very encouraging to me, thank you for your faithfulness.
Thank you Vern – your encouragement is much appreciated!