“FAITH AND FORGIVENESS”

25 “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Mark 11:25

We have been talking about church hurt and how to deal with the pain in a biblical way. In our last blog, we said that personal issues are best kept private. That is, we should face the other person with humility and the desire to protect their reputation.

Here’s another step you should take to move toward healing:

Forgive.

Today’s verse connects faith and a forgiving spirit. Jesus says that for prayer to be effective, it must be offered in faith and the spirit of forgiveness. This is not the only verse where Jesus warns against failing to forgive. Matthew 5:23-24 and 6:14-15 carry the same message.

Why is this so? Do we first have to forgive others to receive God’s forgiveness?

No. But our relationship with God is based on His mercy and forgiveness. God forgives us through Jesus. If we don’t understand forgiveness enough to forgive others, can it be that our faith isn’t really a saving faith? If we are mere recipients of God’s mercy, what should keep us from forgiving others?

If healing is the goal, a critical step toward it is forgiveness. This may not be an overnight thing, especially if the cut is too deep. So, give yourself some time to process things, and validate your emotions, but do not dwell on the hurt. Ask the Lord for the strength to forgive.

Prayer is a powerful way of communicating our emotions with God, but it must be offered in the spirit of forgiveness. If you want your prayers to be powerful, two elements are necessary: faith and forgiveness.

Pursue the Savior today!