You were not created to be an island, God created us to be relational .On a daily basis it doesn’t, matter whether you are in business, in the cooperate world or in ministry you must have encountered different people with different personalities,attitudes,cultures and belief system. Let’s look at the office set up,where most of us spend our time from 8am to 5pm.At times you might have rubbed off shoulders with people you work with, the wrong way and you felt like you didn’t feel like talking to them. Let’s be real here no sugar coating!!!! This actually happened to me some few years ago, where i currently work. A section of my colleagues had made a choice they won’t talk to me or offer me any assistance in regards to work because we could not agree on some issues. So in the morning once they got in the office and found I had arrived before them, they would literally ignore me and would not speak to me the whole day.
As a human being, I felt bad and I actually allowed the flesh to take control over me, i decided to act like them whenever the opportunity presented itself. So when i found them in the office, I would exactly do the same thing, I would say hi! to the rest of my colleagues but those two, i would literally ignore them. I did that for 2 days and on the second day God rebuked me big time, while I was in prayer. I was busy worshiping God and God was like ,what are you doing??He was so clear and convicted me so strongly ‘’Beaty who are you representing, when you lower your standard as my child ? Have I not taught you forgiveness which I myself live by ??’’That night, i was totally repentant because you can’t pretend before God!!!
I thank God because He knows us very well, you can’t create a performance before Him while lifting your hands, yet you are walking in un-forgiveness. As long as you are willing to die to the flesh!!! He will always tell you what you need to work on.
I thank God because He knows us very well, you can’t create a performance before Him while lifting your hands, yet you are walking in un-forgiveness. As long as you are willing to die to the flesh!!! He will always tell you what you need to work on.
I made a choice to forgive them and reach out. It was not easy for some time because the more I tried to reach out, the more they ignored me. In the whole process, God was busy working on my attitude. In the morning, I would say hi and trust me for three days they did not respond back, instead they became so sarcastic because they could not understand why on earth, I was being nice to them, despite of how nasty they were towards me. They wanted me to react negatively towards them, which would eventually defile my heart and lower my standard as a child of God. One thing they did not understand is, God wanted me to represent Him well, so that they would see Him through me by my actions. They got tired of acting up funny and that atmosphere in the office changed, just because I made a choice to forgive them, not only with my heart but through my actions.
After that period, I learn’t that some people are walking in un-forgiveness , bitterness, anger, resentment and when they decide to treat you funny, don’t lower yourself to their level because that’s not who you are as a child of God. Forgive them and don’t try to hit back, with mean actions because of how they have been treating you. Decide to love them, forgive them and allow maturity to define you, they will eventually come to their senses, that whatever they are doing is total immaturity and they will be attracted to who is within you (Jesus Christ).
If someone makes a choice to hate you, malign you and treat you unfairly even after you have reached out, just pray for them and love them at a distance. God will understand you have done your part and that person, will stand accountable to God for embracing un-forgiveness.
When you walk in forgiveness you ultimately :-
1.Please God
2.You enjoy peace, less stress and hostility
3.You have healthier relationships
4.You see people through God’s eyes of Love
5.You have less baggage and people drama
6.You have so much joy
7.You embrace a good self esteem
8.You become free from people bondage
9.You live a healthier lifestyle
10.You don’t become a hindrance to walking in God’s presence
Mirror on God’s word on forgiving others-
Matthew 5:23-24
So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and while there you remember that your brother has something (such as a grievance or legitimate complaint)against you, 24 leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor (perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding) and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice (all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence) . Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted (compassionate, understanding) , forgiving one another (readily and freely), just as God in Christ also forgave you.
Colossians 3:13
Bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive.
Luke 6:37
Do not judge (others self-righteously), and you will not be judged; do not condemn(others when you are guilty and unrepentant), and you will not be condemned (for your hypocrisy); pardon (others when they truly repent and change), and you will be pardoned (when you truly repent and change)
Matthew 18: 21-22
Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?”.Jesus answered him, “I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven
Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive others their trespasses (their reckless and willful sins), your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others (nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God), then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.
Holding a grudge does not make you any superior,It only makes you bitter,unhappy,spiteful and angry,Choose to forgive,this does not make you weaker or inferior,it actually sets you free to enjoy your life to the fullest.
Holding a grudge does not make you any superior,It only makes you bitter,unhappy,spiteful and angry,Choose to forgive,this does not make you weaker or inferior,it actually sets you free to enjoy your life to the fullest.