Forgive our Debts

God places few conditions on His forgiveness, but this is one of them. 

God says in Matthew 6:12 we should pray for God to forgive our debts. But just three verses later, He says that if we do not forgive others God will not forgive us. 

Those are strong words!  But there is a good reason for them.

Unforgiveness ties us to the past.  When we are not forgiven, our past wrongdoings affect our present relationships.  

When we are the one who is being unforgiving, the same thing is also true.  Unforgiveness keeps us from having a normalized relationships whether were are unforgiven  or unforgiving.  

Desiring forgiveness is to desire to leave the past behind us. To grant forgiveness is to allow the past to go.  We cannot have it both ways.  We cannot selectively let go of the past by asking for forgiveness, while not granting forgiveness to others. That would be trying to let go and  to hold on to the past as the same time.  Before we can experience forgiveness, we must first grant that same forgiveness to others.

Forgiveness is not impossible, no matter what we may believe.  It does not mean all hurt is gone. It does not mean either that trust is automatically restored.  We do not have to trust our lives to a cheat, or trust out heart to an adulterer.  Forgiveness simply means that we forego the intention of revenge. In order to “settle the score” we must hang on to emotions from the past, making it impossible to heal them. Hurts will heal if left alone, but vengeance fixes them in our hearts so they never go away.

The good news about forgiveness is this—God has already granted it.   It is ours as soon as we ask, because of Christ’s death on the Cross, which has covered all our sins, even the ones we do not know about.  If we forgiveness that we willingly grant others, forgiveness is immediately and freely given.

Stop for a moment and think—is there any from whom you want revenge or retribution? Are you still holding on to some past hurt? Ask God to give you the grace to let go of past sins, so that you can be free in the future.

God, give me the wisdom to let go of past wrongs.  Help me to be as free in giving forgiveness as I am in asking it from You.  Let me let go of the past, so I can live in the present and the future. In Jesus’ name, Amen.